The Carpenter's Chapel (6)

Thursday, 22nd September, 2005

Going without God

“Go not up, for the LORD is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies.” - Numbers 14v42

One could easily weep as he reads Numbers 14. In spite of all that God had done for them, these people still did not trust Him. He had allowed 12 men to see the wonders of the Promised Land. They had returned with glowing reports of what was there, but there fear overwhelmed their faith.

When God judged their lack of faith by telling them that they would have to wait forty years to go into the land, they were belatedly sorry for their sin and decided that they would go ahead and enter the land.

Moses warned the, “Don’t go, God is not going with you, you will be defeated.” As usual they decided to act based on their own wills and desire instead of based on God’s direction. They went ahead an invaded the land. This tragic chapter ends with these words – “Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them.”

There are lessons for us in virtually every situation faced by these people. The New Testament tells us that the things that which are written for written for our learning. God has given us His Word, which is full of His directions and His blessings. We often expect His blessings without following His directions. We can be assured, that when we step outside of God’s Word to do something on our own, we cannot expect His blessings to follow.

 

"...Except the Lord build the house. they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain." (Ps. 127:1)
Thanks Roger, this came to mind and I did not mean it to be a plug for me - watchman. I am in security, but it goes to show you that there is no security when one (or a country) is without the blessings of God.

 

Friday September 23, 2005

So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. (John 21:15-17)
After they were finished eating, Jesus turns to Peter and asks a penetrating question, "lovest thou Me more than theses?" (Though He was asking the question directly to Peter, the spokesman, I think the question was also applied to the rest).
Many people try to make Peter as the first pope or at least the only leader of the early church, yet the book of Acts declares clearly that many of the other Apostles were active, with James being the first pastor at Jerusalem.
The conversation between Jesus and Peter has several interesting notes that can be missed by a casual reading. First of all, it is significant that Jesus asks Peter three times to publicly affirm his love for God. It was just a few days prior that Peter had both boasted and denied the Lord in one dreadful night. Public confession is not easy, but it is good for us. The actual Greek words used by the Lord and by Peter are important as well. The Greek language uses three different words for the English word, "love". It is to express the different levels of intensity Eros is a base kind of love (from it we get the English word erotic) as the Greeks had a god named "Eros" (the Roman counterpart is "Cupid") Eros stands for the sensual love and is never used in the New Testament. The second Greek word used for love is phileo and is the base of our word, "Philadelphia", the city of brotherly love. It stands for friendship, sincere affection. The final Greek word is agape, a sacrificial love. It is agape that is used in John 3:16. Both phileo and agape are used in our current passage.
Jesus turns to Peter after breakfast and asks: "Lovest thou me more than these? The word that Jesus used was agape, yet the word that Peter used to respond to the Master was Phileo. In this we see the humbled Peter not willing to boast and make grand claims. Jesus challenges His disciple to "feed my lambs". The word used by Jesus for lambs is interesting. Dr. J. Vernon McGee tells us that "The words for lambs is diminutive, which mean little baby lambs." (vol. 4 p. 504) Part of Peter's ministry will be to help little baby Christians who need protection, guidance and someone to direct them to places of nourishment.
But Jesus is not finished. Again He repeats His question "lovest thou Me?" using the word for sacrificial love, agape, and focusing just on the issue of Peter's love for Him. The second answer from Peter again is phileo; being translated "I have affection for thee" in the Interlinear Greek-English New Testament. Peter is not willing to claim any boasting. This time the Lord exhorts him, "feed my sheep". The Greek word used here for "feed" is the word for "shepherd", hence He is telling Peter that he will also need to shepherd the older sheep. Referring again to McGee: "(Jesus) says 'feed' the little baby lambs but 'shepherd' or discipline the sheep. In our day we have this truth in reverse; we want to discipline the young - that is our method, and we feel we should 'teach' the old folk. My friend, that is not His method. We are to feed the lambs, and shepherd or discipline the older sheep. Do you know why? It is because the little lambs follow the sheep, hence the older sheep must be disciplined." (ibid)
A third time Jesus turns to Peter and asks, "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me" but this time our Lord uses the word, phileo, or "hast thou affection for me?" (Interlinear Greek-English NT) to which Peter is grieved that the Lord had to stoop down to his level and yet still questions his genuineness. Jesus is asking, "Do you really have an affection for Me?" Peter reaffirms that the Lord knows the desires of his heart and that he, Peter, could only claim to have a deep friendship for the Lord. To this Jesus commands "Feed My sheep." Here the same word is used for "feed" as in feeding the little lambs. Not only do the older sheep need discipline as they are examples, but they also need to be fed. Exzekiel 34 is a scathing rebuke of the shepherds of Israel who cared for themselves, not for the sheep. Realize that Jesus' purpose of grilling Peter was not to humiliate Peter, but to re-commission him to do the work of being a fisher of men and a shepherd of his flock. Remember back to the first time we met Peter; Jesus showed him a miraculous catch of fish and enlisted him to be His disciple (Compare Luke 5.)

 

Monday, 26th September, 2005
Because you did not believe me

“And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. And the LORD spoke unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.” - Numbers 20v10-12

Whenever I have read the story of Moses and the rock I kind of felt sorry for Moses. I can certainly understand his frustration. Most scholars say that this incident happened thirty-eight years into the wanderings in the wilderness. Once gain the people complained because of a lack of water. They even said they would have been better to die in the Korahite rebellion than to die now. Moses and Aaron went to God again and God told Moses to speak to the rock go get fresh water.

When Moses gathered the people together he did not listen to God. Instead he clearly allowed his flesh to take control, “Must we fetch water out of the rock?” Then he struck the rock instead of speaking to it.

There are some real problems with this. He took the credit on himself and felt like he had to act his way to accomplish his task. God says that Moses did not believe Him. We don’t see that, but God knew His heart. Moses did not believe God, He did not sanctify God before the people, he claimed credit for himself and Aaron for providing water out of the rock, and disobeyed God by striking the rock. His punishment? He would not get to enter the Promised Land.

What are the lessons for us? Trust God when He says what He will do. Makes sure He gets all the glory for what is accomplished. Obey Him completely. God is a holy God, who demands obedience so He is the One Who receives the glory.

 

Tuesday September 27, 2005

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. (John 21:18-19)
Immediately following Peter's challenge to feed the sheep, and I believe it was before Peter could answer, the Lord Jesus now informs Peter of the cost of being His disciple. Peter used to do what he wanted to do, yet he will learn to go against his own desires for the sake of others. It is plain by the remarks of 21:19a that the Lord somehow described Peter's eventual death. Possibly the Master visibly displayed it by reaching out His arms to illustrate the death of crucifixion or maybe He pointed to His nail-scarred hands. We do not know how it was described, but all in attendance knew how Peter would die.
Tradition says that Peter was crucified. Now Jesus, after giving Peter these challenges and the ultimate cost, state simply, "Follow Me."

Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? (John 21:20-23)
Peter's only questions are that of the other disciples. He makes reference to the one who betrayed Jesus, but it seems clear that all knew that to be Judas Iscariot. He then looks at John and asks what will happen to John. Jesus focuses back on Peter and states that He will do whatever He chooses with John, but Peter must make the choice by himself. Again Jesus commands him, "follow thou Me." We must all decide to follow Jesus by our own choice, not because of the desires of our friends and family. Also, John makes a note that some had interpreted Jesus' words that he would not die, yet John himself understood that not to be the case. History tells us that John outlived the other disciples and was used by God to write the last books of the New Testament, yet he too would die.
Here is a classic example of reading into the text something that simply is not there.
If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?
Obviously this was a mild rebuke to Peter. He was saying “What I have for John to do is between John and I.” Yet it got around that John is not going to die! This is the danger of taking scripture that should be taken literally and seeking a figurative (allegorical) meaning for it, when there is no good reason to do so.

This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.
(John 21:24-25 )
The Closing
In his closing John mentions two things:
First, as if he was on a witness stand, he is swearing that the things written in this gospel are the truth; he, himself being an eye-witness to these accounts. All throughout this gospel John would vail his identity in saying things like, "the disciple whom Jesus loved", or, "that other disciple", but now he steps forward, "This is the disciple which testifieth of these things..." As stated at the very beginning, this was written by someone who was, not only lead along by the Spirit of God, but by someone who was there. We can absolutely trust in what is written here.
Secondly, he reminds the reader that not every word or deed of the Lord Jesus has been recorded, nor was it the goal of the gospel. But then as he finishes the last word, he considers the question of what if every detail and every truth about the Savior could be written in books; could the whole world contain them? Then he suggests rightly that the world could not contain even the books that should be written about God's love for us.
The gospel finishes with a simple, "Amen."

With a bit of sadness I end our look at John. Hope it was a blessing to someone.

 

Wednesday, 28th September, 2005
God is not a man

“God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?”
- Numbers 23v19

These are the words of Balaam when confronted by Balak. These men were apparently used to their false gods heeding to their beck and call. These professional prophets could word things and work them out so it looked like they controlled the gods like they could another man.

Balaam was dealing with a different kind of God this time. The reason? This God was the only true God! Balaam told these very clear words to Balak.

· God is not a man
· God cannot lie
· God will not change His mind
· God will do what He says He will do

Balak was looking for a blessing from Jehovah, but He was not about to be cajoled into giving it. God is not some kind of genie in a lamp who responds to a rubbing of the lamp.

There are Christians today who act like they think God is the kind of god that Balak though He was. God is still not our genie in a bottle. He is not going to lie, He is not going to change His mind, He will do what He says. We pray to bring our discern His will and to bring our will into line with his.

 

Thursday September 29, 2005

"The Lord bless and keep thee" (Numbers 6:24)
Since God is omnipotent, when He keeps something, it is permanent-a fact readily seen in the Scriptures. The true child of God should constantly rejoice in God's keeping power. Listed are a number of examples of what God Keeps:
He keeps us from losing our salvation: "Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy" (Jude 24). "Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are" (John 17:11)
He keeps us from stumbling: "He will keep the feet of His saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness" ((1Samuel 2:9). "For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone" (Psalm 91: 11-12).
He keeps us as a treasure: "Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings" (Psalm 17:8).
"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7). "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee" (Isaiah 26:3).
He will keep us from the coming tribulation: "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth" (Revelation 3:10)
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: He that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper: the lord is thy shade upon thy right hand" (Psalm 121: 3-5).

 

Friday, 30th September, 2005
Being a discourager

“And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD hath given them?” - Numbers 32v7

The time was drawing close for the crossing of the river into Canaan, God’s promised land. As Moses was giving directions for entering the land the leaders of two tribes, Gad and Reuben decided that the land where they were was better for their cattle. They approached Moses and asked to be permitted to settle there.

Moses had a couple of related problems with their plan. One was that they would not be able to help fight for the land. Everyone knew that the conquering the land would be a challenge. They needed every man for the task.

This was related to another problem. Moses asked the leaders, “Would you discourage the hearts of the children from going over into the land?” Moses knew that the task was immense and he also knew the dangers of discouragement. Discouragement, as pointed out here, affects the heart.

Many times we face a potentially discouraging task. The last thing we need is someone to discourage us. Discouragement leads to despair and possibly defeat. Let us be sure that our words and actions are not going to discourage others. Our task is to edify, not to discourage.

Barnabas means “the son of encouragement.” Let’s be sure that we are more like Barnabas than Gad and Reuben.

 

Monday October 3, 2005

Prophecy

The Bible speaks of a millennial reign of Christ on earth.
Amillennialists reject a literal reign of Christ on earth.
Post-millennialists place Christ’s return after 1000 years.
Pre-millennialists place His return before the 1000-year reign.

The basic issue between premillennialists and amillennialists is clearly drawn by Allis, who writes:
“One of the most marked features of Premillennialism in all its forms is the emphasis which it places on the literal interpretation of Scripture. It is the insistent claim of its advocates that only when interpreted literally is the Bible interpreted truly; and they denounce as ‘spiritualizers’ or ‘allegorizers’ those who do not interpret the Bible with the same degree of literalness as they do. None have made this charge more pointedly than the Dispensationalists. The question of literal versus figurative interpretation is, therefore, one which has to be faced at the very outset."
(Oswald T. Allis, Prophecy and the Church, p. 17. Quoted From "Things to Come", J. Dwight Pentecost, p.1)


Three key factors of interpretation will answer this question.
How do you interpret Bible prophecy – allegorically or literally?
Jesus preached of a literal return and reign on earth:
Mat 4:17,Mar 9:1, Mar 14:62, Joh 14:3.

The Apostles believed that Jesus would literally return:
Luke 1:32, Acts 15:16, 1Co 1:7, 1Co 15:23, Jam 5:7-8, 2Pe 1:16,
2Pe 3:12, Rev 1:7.

Many of the Early Church leaders also held to a literal view, such as, Theodore, Tertullian and Irenaeus. The key school of interpretation was in Antioch.

The rise of the allegorical method.
An allegory is the use of a figure to understand a thought. “Any statement of supposed facts which admits of a literal interpretation, and yet requires or justly admits a moral or figurative one, is called an allegory”. Pentecost p.4
A school in Alexandria, Egypt became the leader of a new mixture of philosophy and religion. They sought to find a spiritual meaning to all of interpretation. It was led by Clement of Alexandria and Origen. As the state-church became more powerful, they used the allegorical method to fit the Bible into the box of Church Orthodoxy.
“Augustine was successful in injecting a new method of interpretation into the bloodstream of the Church, based on Origen’s method of perverting scripture…”
(Gilbert, in Pentecost p. 24)
This continued through the Dark Ages and it is not until the Reformation that the original literal method of interpretation was reintroduced. Both Luther and Calvin were strong advocates of a literal interpretation.

 

Be sure your sin will find you out

“But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out”. - Numbers 32v23

Reuben and Gad had convinced that they would indeed assist in the conquest of the land. Moses made it very clear, “if you do so, fine, but if not you have sinned against the Lord and be sure that your sin will find you out. Moses wanted the tribes to know that their sin, like all sin, would be against God and that their sin would be found out. They would not get away with their sin.

It is easy to think that we can hide our sin. Many Christians live an entire life of deception. We can become so used to deceiving others and ourselves that we think we can deceive God in our sin.

Several times in Scripture God makes it clear that we cannot hide our sin from Him. One of the clearest passages is in Galatians 6v7 – “Be not deceived, God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap.” In the book of Zephaniah we read about God searching out the streets of Jerusalem with a candle to discover the sin of the people.

“Beware,” God warns us, “your sin will find you out.” Is there sin in your life today that you are thinking you can hide from God? Be sure, your sin will find you out. “

 

Wednesday October 4, 2005

"They all forsook Him, and fled. And there followed Him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold of him; And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked." (Mark 14:50-52)
This "certain young man" is mentioned only in Mark's Gospel and is almost certainly John Mark himself. A rather obscure character in the New Testament-yet the Lord chose him to write what is probably the earliest of the gospel records of the life of Christ. If so, his account of the crucifixion and the resurrection of Christ is the first record we have of the most important events in all history.
Mark's family (Acts 12:12) apparently was prosperous enough to own a home in Jerusalem with a large upper room where the disciples(even 120 of them, Acts 1:14-15) could meet for prayer after the resurrection. This was possibly the same "large upper room furnished and prepared" (Mark 14:15) where the Lord's last supper took place. Note that Mark's account says: "And in the evening He cometh (not goeth) with the twelve" (v.17). Thus Mark-probably as a teenager-was very likely an intensely interested observer of all the moving events that took place in the upper room, both before and after the crucifixion and resurrection.
He may well have overheard the conversation with and about Judas, and then watched s the disciples went out to Gethsemane. Perhaps Judas returned with the soldiers, and Mark, already in bed, grabbed a "linen cloth" and rushed out to warn Jesus. The soldiers found Jesus first, however, and Mark had to watch the disciples flee, and then finally flee himself.
In any case, this close proximity to these great events made such a profound impression on him that he was later led to write about them, very probably working closely with Peter (1Peter 5:13), and Mark's gospel was the result.

 

Thursday, 6th October, 2005

I know your trudging

“For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking [trudging] through this great wilderness: these forty years the LORD thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing.” - Deuteronomy 2v7

Forty years is a long time to do anything. It would be an almost unbearable time to wander through the land waiting for God to allow entrance into the Promised Land. It is true that even in our minds the people “deserved” to wander for ignoring the advice of God’s men and allowing their fear to overcome their faith.

Yet, what about Moses, Joshua, and Caleb? These were men of God. All were faithful, even Moses who in a moment of fleshliness lost his opportunity to enter Canaan, truly strove to follow God. How did they see the forty years of wandering? Why did they have to “suffer”?

God gives us an answer in Deuteronomy 2v7. God told them:

· I have blessed you and your works
· I know your trudging
· I have been with you
· You have lacked nothing
What a wonderful encouragement! Sometimes in our lives we go through times of just trudging along. The word “walking” also aptly depicts this for us. We do not always get to run along celebrating great victories. Most of our Christian lives are just spent in a daily walk, trudging along. How wonderful it is to note that in those every day times God is blessing, He knows all about it, He is with us, and we will lack nothing.

Thank you Father for a special encouragement today!

 

Friday October 7, 2005

Pray for us, for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.
Hebrews 13:18
It ought to go without saying that a Christian should live honestly in all things. Apparently it does need saying, however, because the Scriptures contain many such references. For example: "Provide things honest in the sight of all men" (Romans 12:17). For the sake of one's
Christian testimony before other men, it is vital that utter honesty must characterize his life. Even if men cannot see the little acts of
dishonesty, God can, and so even our secret actions must be "Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the
sight of men" (2Corinthians 8:21) Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest...think on these things" (Philippians 4:8)
We live in a corrupt and cynical society where genuine honesty is rare. Petty pilfering at the office, cheating on taxes, plaglarizing, loafing
at the job, padding expense accounts, cheating on taxes, cutting corners on obligations, breaking promises, exaggerating-the list of petty
dishonesties is endless, not even to mention the crime and major corruption so prevalent today almost everywhere. In such an environment
dominated and conditioned by a humanistic educational system, unsaved persons easily adapt to such questionable practices, for "unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled" (Titus 1:15).
But when Christians do such things (and, unfortunately, they do!) these same people find it scandalous, and blaspheme the gospel because of it.
How vital it is for Christians to become scrupulously sensitive about even the smallest matters. It should, in fact, be a major item of daily prayer, as in our text for the day.

 

Monday, 10th October, 2005

Such a heart

commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever!” - Deuteronomy 5v29

“Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe” says the refrain on a children’s song. Indeed the very best way to show that we believe in someone is to obey when called upon.

Obedience is not always properly motivated. Sometimes we obey out of terror, because we are afraid of being punished, or fear the consequences. Obedience does is not always the result of having a proper heart attitude.

What kind of obedience does God desire from His people. He says “O that there were such a heart in them…” It is amazing how often God refers to the heart rather than to simple obedience. Here, God had just repeated the Ten Commandments and then expressed His desire that people would have a heart which revered and honoured Him by obedience.

There is so much that keeps us from having a right heart. If our heart is inclined towards popularity and possessions than we will never have a right heart. We decide what to do with our hearts. Are we going have heart of flesh that is pliable and mouldable to His direction, or are we going to have a heart of stone that is hardened to His will.

O that there were such a heart in US, that WE would fear God and keep all His commandments always.

 

Amen.

A heart of flesh is something we need to seek daily.

Thank you for this devotional Roger.

Blessings

Sheila

 

Tuesday October 11, 2005

Prophecy

Principles:
a. If it can be interpreted literally, don’t look for a mystical meaning. (i.e. The white horse in Revelation is a white horse!)
b. If a figure is used, look for a literal meaning.
Jesus is called the Lamb of God, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Door of the sheep. Though we don’t believe that Jesus really became a lamb, lion and door, we can apply to these figures an historical, grammatical interpretation. (He is our substitute, our leader, our way of salvation).

Speaking of the allegorical approach to interpreting Scripture Fritsch writes:
“According to this method the literal and historical sense of Scripture is completely ignored, and every word and event is made an allegory of some kind either to escape theological difficulties or to maintain certain peculiar religious views...”
(Charles T. Fritsch, "Biblical Typology" Bibliotheca Sacra, 104:16, April, 1947. Quoted from "Things to Come", J. Dwight Pentecost, p.4)

Farrar adds:
“...When once the principle of allegory is admitted, when once we start with the rule that whole passages and books of Scripture say one thing when they mean another, the reader is delivered bound hand and foot to the caprice of the interpreter.”
(F.W. Farrar, History of Interpretation, p. 232. Quoted from "Things to Come", J. Dwight Pentecost p. 5-6)
The literal method defined:
The literal method of interpretation is that method that gives to each word the same exact meaning it would have in normal, ordinary, customary usage, whether employed in writing, speaking or thinking.
(Ramm, op cit., p.53. Quoted from "Things to Come", J. Dwight Pentecost p.9)

There are certain advantages to the literal method over the allegorical method:
(a) It grounds interpretation in fact. It seeks to establish itself in objective data-grammar, logic, etymology, history, geography, archaeology, theology...
(b) It exercises a control over interpretation that experimentation does for the scientific method...justification is the control on interpretations. All that do not measure up to the canons of the literal-cultural-critical method are to be rejected or placed under suspect. In addition to this the method offers the only reliable check on the constant threat to place double-sense interpretation upon the Scripture...
It has the greatest success in opening up the Word of God. Exegesis did not start in earnest till the church was a millennium and a half old. With the literalism of Luther and Calvin the light of Scripture literally flamed up...This method is the honored method of the highest scholastic tradition in conservative Protestantism. It is the method of Bruce, Lightfoot, Zahn, A.T. Robertson, Ellicott, Machen, Cremer, Terry, Farrar, Lange, Green, Oehler, Schaff, Sampey, Wilson, Moule, Perowne, Henderson Broadus, Stuart-to name a few typical exegetes.
(Ramm, op. Cit., pp.62-63. As quoted in, "Things to Come", J. Dwight Pentecost p. 11)

A simple rule in determining what is literal and what is figurative:
If the literal meaning of any word or expression makes good sense in its connections, it is literal; but if the literal meaning does not make sense, it is figurative.
(Clinton Lockhart, Principles of Interpretation, p. 49. Quoted in, "Things to Come" J. Dwight Pentecost, p. 40)

“A good working rule to follow is that the literal interpretation of the prophecy is to be accepted unless
A. The passages contain obviously figurative language, or
B.Unless the New Testament gives authority for interpreting them in other than a literal sense, or
C. Unless a literal interpretation would produce a contradiction with truths, principles or factual statements contained in non-symbolic books of the New Testament. Another obvious rule to be followed is that the clearest New Testament passages in non-symbolic books are to be the norm for the interpretation of prophecy, rather than the obscure or partial revelations contained in the Old Testament. In other words, we should accept the clear and plain parts of Scripture as a basis for getting the true meaning of the more difficult parts of Scripture.”
(Floyd Hamilton, The Basis of Millennial Faith, pp. 53-54. Quoted in "Things to Come", J Dwight Pentecost p.40)

“When the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense; therefore, take every word at its primary, ordinary, usual, literal meaning unless the facts of the immediate context, studied in the light of related passages and axiomatic and fundamental truths, indicate clearly otherwise.”
(David L. Cooper, The God of Israel, p. iii. Quoted from "Things to Come, J. Dwight Pentecost, p. 42.)

In the use of symbols, it is a fact that Scripture interprets its own symbols.

“...some prophecy is conveyed to us by means of symbolic language. But whenever such is the case, the symbols are explained in the immediate context, in the boon in which they occur, or elsewhere in the Word, no room being left to the imaginations of man to devise explanations.”
(Charles L. Feinberg, Premillennialism or Amillennialism, p. 37. Quoted in "Things to Come" J. Dwight Pentecost p. 55.)

 

Wednesday, 12th October, 2005

Teach them diligently

“And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.” - Deuteronomy 6v6-9

What is the most important thing that we can do to express and carry on our faith? Moses seems to give a very clear answer to this here in Deuteronomy chapter 6.

There are two clear steps listed here.
1) Keep them in your heart
2) Teach them diligently to your children

The first is obvious. We can do nothing with God’s teachings if we do not first make them a part of our lives. God’s word must be more than just something we take in at church or in our devotions and then leaved it aside.

The second thing is a bit more challenging. We are told to teach them to our children. The primary responsibility of teaching our children is up to us. How are we to teach them?

1) When we sit at home
2) When we go out
3) When we lie down
4) When we get up

In other words the teaching of God’s word is something that must be always ongoing. It is far more than Sunday School or family devotions. Our teaching must take place no matter what we are doing. It must be constant and consistent, always before us. As parents there is no more important task than teaching our children. Let’s do it diligently, or “pointedly” as the Hebrew word implies. We must make of point of doing is constantly.

 

Thursday October 13, 2005

"Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them" (Genesis 3:21).
This action by the Lord is very significant. God Himself apparently sacrificed some of His animal creation (possibly two innocent and blemish-free sheep) in order to provide clothing for the first man and woman. In the first place, this tell us that clothing is important in God's plan for human beings; nudity became shameful once sin entered the world.
In the second place, we learn that symbolically speaking, clothing must be provided by God Himself. Man-made "aprons" of fig leaves will not suffice, as they represent human works of righteousness which can never make us presentable to God. "...we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6).
However, God has sacrificed His own "Lamb of God" (John 1:29), pure and spotless, yet also willing to die for us.
Thereby "...He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness" (Isaiah 61:10), fashioned from the perfect righteousness of the Lamb.
But in order to do this, the innocent blood of the sacrifice must be shed, for "the life of the flesh is in the blood" (Leviticus 17:11). When sin entered the world, there also came "death by sin" (Romans 5:12), and "without shedding of (innocent) blood is no remission (of sin)" (Hebrews 9:22).
How much of this could have been comprehended by Adam and Eve as they watched God slay their animal friends so that they once again could walk with God we do not know, but it changed their lives. Just so, when we really see "the precious blood of Christ" (1Peter 1:19, spilled in sacrifice for our redemption, our lives also are forever changed.
He hath covered me with the righteousness of Christ.

 

Friday, 14th October, 2005

The Lord your God chastens you

“Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.” - Deuteronomy 8v5

Nobody likes chastening at the moment. No child likes being chastened or disciplined while the chastening is taking place. Here God tells His people that God will chasten His people the same way that a father chastens his children. The purpose of chastening, as opposed to punishment, is to alter a course and is based on loving guidance.

Of course this reminds us of Hebrews chapter 12. God tells us here that we are not to despise chastening and that while it is not “joyous for the moment,” afterwards it “yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness.” We can also take comfort from the fact that whereas human fathers can make mistakes in discipline, God is never wrong when He chastens us. His chastening is ALWAYS for our good.

Remember that God always chastens for good. It is an act of His love. Let us not despise it, but rejoice that He loves us enough to chasten us.

I am going to be gone for a week. Watchman has graciously agreed to fill in for me. Thanks Watchman.

 

Thanks Roger for the devotional. Have a good week.
While the cat's away the mice will play?
Just kidding! See you in a week.