Acts 5:32 is often used to "prove" that the Holy Spirit literally, bodily, and
personally dwells within the body of a believer. I have long believed that it is a
misuse of this text to cite it as proof of the so-called personal indwelling of the Holy
Spirit. Acts 5:32 does not teach that the Holy Spirit personally, bodily, or literally
dwells in anyone.
The text itself, within its context, contains the "clues" that lead to the correct
interpretation of its meaning. It is our aim to be true to scripture's own testimony.
We strive to allow scripture to interpret scripture when possible. The passage says,
"And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given
to those who obey him."
First, let us ask, "Who spoke those words?" According to verse 29 the
words were spoken by "Peter and the apostles." To whom were they spoken?
Verse 27 says "the high priest." Why were the words spoken? They were
spoken in response to the high priest's statement "We strictly charged you not
to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you
intend to bring this man's blood upon us." (v. 28) Peter responds by saying, "The
God of our fathers raised Jesus whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God
exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and
the forgiveness of sins." (v.31) It is at this point that Peter and the apostles said,
"And we are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has
given to those who obey him."
Now let us look more closely at the text. "...we are witnesses of these things."
To whom does the word "we" refer? Peter and the apostles. (v.29) Were they the
only witnesses? No. The text says, "and so is the Holy Spirit..." The apostles were
not the only witnesses, neither was the Holy Spirit the only witness. This is directly
in line with what Jesus told the apostles while he was with them. "When they
deliver you up, do not worry how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what
you are to say will be given to you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but the
Spirit of your Father speaking through you." (Mat. 10:19-20) "But when the Helper
comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who
proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me; and you also are
witnesses, because you have been with me from the beginning." (Jno. 15:26-27)
Acts 5:32 and Jno. 15:26-27 compliment each other and each confirms what is
taught in the other . They are parallel in teaching and meaning. They teach the same
thing.
Someone may ask, "But what about the fact that the text says God has given
the Holy Spirit "to those who obey him?" In this passage the phrase "those who
obey him" is not to be understood generically as applicable to "all" who obey him,
but it refers only to the ones about whom Peter is speaking. Who are they? When
Peter and the apostles were told, "We strictly charged you not to teach in this
name...," they responded, "We must obey God rather than human beings." (v. 29)
In this passage "those who obey him" refers to the apostles of Christ. They chose to
disobey human authorities and to obey God, and in doing so, both they and the Holy
Spirit were testifying to the things pertaining to the death and exaltation of Jesus. The
Holy Spirit was speaking through them and they were speaking to the high priest.
Therefore, both they and the Holy Spirit were bearing witness. Acts 5:32 is limited
in application.
RD
Copyright 2010
Friday, December 31, 2010
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Don't Count Your Chickens Before The Match
There is an old southern proverb that states, "Don't count your chickens before
they hatch." We have other idiomatic expressions that have the same meaning
such as, "Don't jump the gun." The point is be careful what you say or do
because things may not turn out according to your plans. I have given the old
saying a little twist with a play on a word "Don't count your chickens before the
match." This is exactly what one character of Old Testament times did, and he
turned out to be on the receiving end of the match. No doubt we all remember
the story of David and Goliath recorded in 1 Samuel chapter 17. Verses 8-11
tell us that "He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel...When Saul and all
Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid."
Goliath did these things again, speaking "the same words as before. And David
heard him." (v. 23) David accepted Goliath's challenge.
Goliath was certain that he would make mince meat out of young David.
He knew victory was in his pocket. He promised to give David's flesh to the
birds of the air and the beasts of the field. (v.44) The question is, could or would
he follow thru with his promise?
Statistically speaking Goliath was the overwhelming favorite. He had great
skill, great height, great experience, and great weaponry. Let's take a specific
look at their statistics.
Goliath was a Champion [Heb. 'is-habbenayim; lit. "the man in between"]
(verses 4,23) This evidently means that Goliath fought to the death in representative
combat with an opponent. He was a remarkable soldier! David is described simply
as a shepherd. (v. 15) Goliath was nearly 10 feet tall; about 9 feet 9 inches. (v.4)
David was a young man, a boy. (Verses 42, 55, 56) Goliath wore a coat of mail
that weighed about 125 pounds. David had no coat of mail. He had to reject Saul's
armor. (verses 38-39) Goliath had a spear with an iron point that weighed about
15 pounds. David had a sling in his hand. (v. 40) Goliath had physical strength.
(v. 5-7) David had faith. (v. 37) Goliath had a big mouth. (verses 8,10,43,44)
David was humble but confident. (v. 47) Goliath had a shield bearer. (verses 7,41)
David had Yahweh. (verses 37, 46) If we look at the statistics through human eyes,
Goliath is the hands down winner before the match even starts! Perhaps we will
learn one day that you don't judge a book by its cover. Furthermore, it's not the
size of the dog in the fight that determines the winner, it's the size of the fight in
the dog.
When the battle began the Philistine arose and came close to meet David and
David "ran quickly" to meet the Philistine. (v.48) There was no time to lose. Just as
David ran in order to do his work for Yahweh, Philip ran to meet the Ethiopian
eunuch in order to teach him the gospel. (Acts 8:30) The scriptures teach us
we should "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the
Lord." (Romans 12:11, TNIV) The Philistine was armed with "heavy" weaponry,
and David had a sling and five smooth stones from the brook. (v.40) It is often the
case that big success comes through small things. Though David threw the stone,
Yahweh directed it and it struck the Philistine on the forehead and it sank into his
forehead. (verses 37,49) The Philistine fell on his face. (v.49) From pride to
humiliation! It is ironic that the very part of Goliath's body that was blaspheming the
God of Israel, is the part that hit the ground; his face! David cut off the head of the
"champion" of the Philistines! The victory was complete. Cut off the head and the
tail dies.
Lessons Learned
Yahweh gave David victory over the Philistine giant. In like manner we are
more than conquerors in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:31-37) Goliath was physically
larger than young David, but those who have God on their side are bigger than the
world. (2 Timothy 4:16-18; 1 Jno. 4:4; 5:4) Pride robs you of your life. (Prov.
16:18) Goliath was certain that the battle was won and that he would be the victor.
Instead of feeding David's flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field as
he boastfully promised, Goliath's own sword was used to remove his proud head
from his body. Can anyone doubt that a person shouldn't count his chickens before
the match?
RD
Copyright 2010
they hatch." We have other idiomatic expressions that have the same meaning
such as, "Don't jump the gun." The point is be careful what you say or do
because things may not turn out according to your plans. I have given the old
saying a little twist with a play on a word "Don't count your chickens before the
match." This is exactly what one character of Old Testament times did, and he
turned out to be on the receiving end of the match. No doubt we all remember
the story of David and Goliath recorded in 1 Samuel chapter 17. Verses 8-11
tell us that "He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel...When Saul and all
Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid."
Goliath did these things again, speaking "the same words as before. And David
heard him." (v. 23) David accepted Goliath's challenge.
Goliath was certain that he would make mince meat out of young David.
He knew victory was in his pocket. He promised to give David's flesh to the
birds of the air and the beasts of the field. (v.44) The question is, could or would
he follow thru with his promise?
Statistically speaking Goliath was the overwhelming favorite. He had great
skill, great height, great experience, and great weaponry. Let's take a specific
look at their statistics.
Goliath was a Champion [Heb. 'is-habbenayim; lit. "the man in between"]
(verses 4,23) This evidently means that Goliath fought to the death in representative
combat with an opponent. He was a remarkable soldier! David is described simply
as a shepherd. (v. 15) Goliath was nearly 10 feet tall; about 9 feet 9 inches. (v.4)
David was a young man, a boy. (Verses 42, 55, 56) Goliath wore a coat of mail
that weighed about 125 pounds. David had no coat of mail. He had to reject Saul's
armor. (verses 38-39) Goliath had a spear with an iron point that weighed about
15 pounds. David had a sling in his hand. (v. 40) Goliath had physical strength.
(v. 5-7) David had faith. (v. 37) Goliath had a big mouth. (verses 8,10,43,44)
David was humble but confident. (v. 47) Goliath had a shield bearer. (verses 7,41)
David had Yahweh. (verses 37, 46) If we look at the statistics through human eyes,
Goliath is the hands down winner before the match even starts! Perhaps we will
learn one day that you don't judge a book by its cover. Furthermore, it's not the
size of the dog in the fight that determines the winner, it's the size of the fight in
the dog.
When the battle began the Philistine arose and came close to meet David and
David "ran quickly" to meet the Philistine. (v.48) There was no time to lose. Just as
David ran in order to do his work for Yahweh, Philip ran to meet the Ethiopian
eunuch in order to teach him the gospel. (Acts 8:30) The scriptures teach us
we should "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the
Lord." (Romans 12:11, TNIV) The Philistine was armed with "heavy" weaponry,
and David had a sling and five smooth stones from the brook. (v.40) It is often the
case that big success comes through small things. Though David threw the stone,
Yahweh directed it and it struck the Philistine on the forehead and it sank into his
forehead. (verses 37,49) The Philistine fell on his face. (v.49) From pride to
humiliation! It is ironic that the very part of Goliath's body that was blaspheming the
God of Israel, is the part that hit the ground; his face! David cut off the head of the
"champion" of the Philistines! The victory was complete. Cut off the head and the
tail dies.
Lessons Learned
Yahweh gave David victory over the Philistine giant. In like manner we are
more than conquerors in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:31-37) Goliath was physically
larger than young David, but those who have God on their side are bigger than the
world. (2 Timothy 4:16-18; 1 Jno. 4:4; 5:4) Pride robs you of your life. (Prov.
16:18) Goliath was certain that the battle was won and that he would be the victor.
Instead of feeding David's flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field as
he boastfully promised, Goliath's own sword was used to remove his proud head
from his body. Can anyone doubt that a person shouldn't count his chickens before
the match?
RD
Copyright 2010
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Another Generation
Judges chapter 2 records one of the darkest periods in ancient Israelite history.
Among the things stated is, "Moreover, that whole generation was gathered to their
ancestors, and another generation [Heb. aher dor] grew up after them, who did not
know Yahweh or the work that he had done for Israel.." (v.10) We are told in the
context that "the people (that is the previous generation, RD) worshiped Yahweh all
the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen
all the great work that Yahweh had done for Israel." (v.7) Apostasy became a reality
only one generation after the the faithful ones left the earthly scene. It is obvious that
somewhere along the way, there had been a breakdown in the transferal of religious
instruction from one generation to the next. The text says the previous generation
had seen Yahweh's great work for Israel. But the next generation "did not know
Yahweh or the work he had done for Israel." It seems the priests had failed in their
instructional duties. (Lev. 10:11) The festivals, memorials, and customs, designed to
pass on Israel's rich spiritual tradition had likely become just a formality.
(Deuteronomy 6:20-25) Moses had instructed the Israelites to teach their children
the fundamentals of the covenant (Deut. 6:4-9), but there was a lapse in teaching,
and the result was total rebellion, for which a great price was paid.
It is important for us to remember that each generation must be taught all the
truth, on every subject, all over again. Truth is not genetically transferred through
DNA from one generation to the next, rather it is transferred by PTA (Parental
Teaching and Action). One of the most tragic notions so prevalent in our age is
the idea that because we know, believe, and love God's truth that our children
will likewise have the same attitude because they are our children. Our children
must be taught to believe, love, and obey God. Otherwise another generation
will grow up that does not know Yahweh and the great work he has performed
for spiritual Israel. Such would be the greatest possible travesty under the sun.
A generation that does not teach its children, will lose its children to false
religion. (cf. Josh. 4:6, 21-24)
Parents must teach their children about God's will regarding purity of life.
(1 Pet. 2:14-16), marriage and divorce (Matthew 19:4-9), true worship (John 4:24;
Acts 2:42), monetary giving on the first day of the week (1 Cor. 16:1-2), the Lord's
Supper (1 Cor. 11:20,23-26), singing praises to God (Col. 3:16), the uniqueness
of the Lord's assembly of people (Mat. 16:18; Eph. 4:4), the work, worship, and
organization of the local congregation (Phil. 4:14-16; Acts 20:7; Phil. 1:1),
the unity of the Godhead (Jno. 17:21-22), the necessity of immersion in order to
receive forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; 1 Pet. 3:21), the deity of Christ (Jno. 1:1),
the humanity of Christ (John 1:14), the personality of the Holy Spirit (Jno. 16:13),
the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Rom.8:9-11), the necessity of authority in religion
(Col. 3:17), the sinfulness of denominationalism (1 Cor. 1:10-15), distinguishing
matters of faith from matters of judgment (Rom. 14), and any other subjects of
equal importance.
Another generation has risen in our midst. Many of our young preachers are
more familiar with the writings of "sweeter than honey" denominational authors
than they are with the writings of the apostles and prophets. Their sermons and
articles are often strong on moral principles but weak on enunciating distinct
doctrinal issues. The scriptures teach us to be strong on both moral principles and
doctrinal issues. (1 Timothy 4:11-16) Some young preachers allow elderships to
bridle them so that they can keep their "job," receive a paycheck, have a home,
and keep a sterling reputation instead of doing things the Lord's way and letting
the chips fall where they may. (2 Tim. 4:1-5) There are members in local
congregations who do not know the Bible as we once did; who do not believe
in the virgin conception and birth of Christ; or that the flood in Noah's day was
global; or that an unqualified eldership is not acceptable to God; or that the church
of Christ is not a denomination; or that the Holy Spirit is a person in the Godhead
and operates only through the word of truth in the conviction, conversion, and
sanctification of people; or that miracles are no longer performed through human
beings; or that people who die out of Christ are lost forever.
In view of eternity, let us resolve to return to our ancient harbor of safety in
Christ, the only source of eternal redemption. Let's renew our commitment to speak
where the scriptures speak and to remain silent where the scriptures are silent; to
call bible things by bible names and to do bible things in bible ways. (1 Cor. 4:6;
Col. 3:17; 1 Pet. 4:11) Let none of us be afraid to acknowledge our sins, to turn
away from them, and to beg God for mercy and forgiveness, then rise from the
smoldering ashes of shame and defeat, and march ahead to the golden shores
of God. (1 John 1:5-10;Rom. 8:31,37)
Let us do everything within our power to teach this generation all it needs to
know about God and his authoritative, infallible, inerrant, and eternal word.
RD
Copyright 2010
Among the things stated is, "Moreover, that whole generation was gathered to their
ancestors, and another generation [Heb. aher dor] grew up after them, who did not
know Yahweh or the work that he had done for Israel.." (v.10) We are told in the
context that "the people (that is the previous generation, RD) worshiped Yahweh all
the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen
all the great work that Yahweh had done for Israel." (v.7) Apostasy became a reality
only one generation after the the faithful ones left the earthly scene. It is obvious that
somewhere along the way, there had been a breakdown in the transferal of religious
instruction from one generation to the next. The text says the previous generation
had seen Yahweh's great work for Israel. But the next generation "did not know
Yahweh or the work he had done for Israel." It seems the priests had failed in their
instructional duties. (Lev. 10:11) The festivals, memorials, and customs, designed to
pass on Israel's rich spiritual tradition had likely become just a formality.
(Deuteronomy 6:20-25) Moses had instructed the Israelites to teach their children
the fundamentals of the covenant (Deut. 6:4-9), but there was a lapse in teaching,
and the result was total rebellion, for which a great price was paid.
It is important for us to remember that each generation must be taught all the
truth, on every subject, all over again. Truth is not genetically transferred through
DNA from one generation to the next, rather it is transferred by PTA (Parental
Teaching and Action). One of the most tragic notions so prevalent in our age is
the idea that because we know, believe, and love God's truth that our children
will likewise have the same attitude because they are our children. Our children
must be taught to believe, love, and obey God. Otherwise another generation
will grow up that does not know Yahweh and the great work he has performed
for spiritual Israel. Such would be the greatest possible travesty under the sun.
A generation that does not teach its children, will lose its children to false
religion. (cf. Josh. 4:6, 21-24)
Parents must teach their children about God's will regarding purity of life.
(1 Pet. 2:14-16), marriage and divorce (Matthew 19:4-9), true worship (John 4:24;
Acts 2:42), monetary giving on the first day of the week (1 Cor. 16:1-2), the Lord's
Supper (1 Cor. 11:20,23-26), singing praises to God (Col. 3:16), the uniqueness
of the Lord's assembly of people (Mat. 16:18; Eph. 4:4), the work, worship, and
organization of the local congregation (Phil. 4:14-16; Acts 20:7; Phil. 1:1),
the unity of the Godhead (Jno. 17:21-22), the necessity of immersion in order to
receive forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; 1 Pet. 3:21), the deity of Christ (Jno. 1:1),
the humanity of Christ (John 1:14), the personality of the Holy Spirit (Jno. 16:13),
the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Rom.8:9-11), the necessity of authority in religion
(Col. 3:17), the sinfulness of denominationalism (1 Cor. 1:10-15), distinguishing
matters of faith from matters of judgment (Rom. 14), and any other subjects of
equal importance.
Another generation has risen in our midst. Many of our young preachers are
more familiar with the writings of "sweeter than honey" denominational authors
than they are with the writings of the apostles and prophets. Their sermons and
articles are often strong on moral principles but weak on enunciating distinct
doctrinal issues. The scriptures teach us to be strong on both moral principles and
doctrinal issues. (1 Timothy 4:11-16) Some young preachers allow elderships to
bridle them so that they can keep their "job," receive a paycheck, have a home,
and keep a sterling reputation instead of doing things the Lord's way and letting
the chips fall where they may. (2 Tim. 4:1-5) There are members in local
congregations who do not know the Bible as we once did; who do not believe
in the virgin conception and birth of Christ; or that the flood in Noah's day was
global; or that an unqualified eldership is not acceptable to God; or that the church
of Christ is not a denomination; or that the Holy Spirit is a person in the Godhead
and operates only through the word of truth in the conviction, conversion, and
sanctification of people; or that miracles are no longer performed through human
beings; or that people who die out of Christ are lost forever.
In view of eternity, let us resolve to return to our ancient harbor of safety in
Christ, the only source of eternal redemption. Let's renew our commitment to speak
where the scriptures speak and to remain silent where the scriptures are silent; to
call bible things by bible names and to do bible things in bible ways. (1 Cor. 4:6;
Col. 3:17; 1 Pet. 4:11) Let none of us be afraid to acknowledge our sins, to turn
away from them, and to beg God for mercy and forgiveness, then rise from the
smoldering ashes of shame and defeat, and march ahead to the golden shores
of God. (1 John 1:5-10;Rom. 8:31,37)
Let us do everything within our power to teach this generation all it needs to
know about God and his authoritative, infallible, inerrant, and eternal word.
RD
Copyright 2010
Thursday, December 23, 2010
What Was Baal Doing?
Who is Baal? Baal [Heb. ba'al] was a Canaanite storm and fertility god. The
Ugaritic texts give strong attestation to this deity. He is first attested in the Ebla
texts from the second half of the 2nd millennium B.C. He is the most active and
prominent of all the Canaanite deities. From the Canaanite perspective, the fertility
of the land depends on the rain this god supplies. According to the Ugaritic texts,
Baal's dwelling was on Mount spn. The mountain in Hittite is called Hazzi.
It is clear from reading the Old Testament that Baal worship provided the
greatest and most enduring threat to the exclusive worship of Yahweh within
ancient Israel. The Israelites settled among the Canaanites, for whom the worship
of Baal was very important, and this is what accounts in part for the temptation of
Baal worship and the strong OT warnings against it. There was a great chasm
of ideological disparity between the prophets of Yahweh and the prophets of Baal.
It was inevitable that Elijah and Baal's prophets would clash.
1 Kings 18 contains one of the greatest contests recorded in the sacred scriptures.
The confrontation was between the prophet Elijah, and "the four hundred and
fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's
table." (1 Kings18:19) All Israel was summoned to Mount Carmel in an effort to
create solidarity within the nation and to bring them back to the true worship of
Yahweh.
In 1 Kings 18:27 we find one of the sharpest satires on paganism ever penned.
Several English versions (RSV, ESV, HCSB, NRSV and TANAKH) say, Elijah
"mocked" them. The (NIV and TNIV) say he "began to taunt them." The Hebrew
text uses the word wayhattel which can mean deceive. In this context, the
connotative meaning is to mock, deride, or taunt. Elijah mockingly said to Baal's
prophets, "Shout louder for he is a god." They thought he was a god, but Elijah
and all believers know better. (Ex. 20:4-5; Isa. 44:6; 1 Cor. 8:4-6) With
penetrating sarcasm he suggests that this "god" is perhaps "deep in thought, or
busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened." (TNIV)
Notice how Elijah attributes very human characteristics to their deity.
One of the words Elijah uses is particularly interesting. The Hebrew word
is sig. When used literally it means to wander, go aside, go away. Many
translations reflect this idea. (KJV "pursuing," ASV "gone aside," RSV "gone
aside," NRSV "wandered away," HCSB "wandered away," and TANAKH
"detained.") Other versions offer interpretations of sig that are quite striking.
(NLT "relieving himself," ESV "relieving himself," Living Bible "sitting on the
toilet." The TNIV chose "busy" for the translation.)
I think there is little doubt that Elijah uses the word sig euphemistically
rather than literally. I believe the NLT, ESV, and Living Bible are accurate in
their translation choices in this verse. Many of the older and contemporary
Hebrew lexicons provide evidence that their translation choices are correct.
Ludwig Koehler and Walter Baumgartner, Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon
of the Old Testament, volume 3, E.J. Brill Publishers, 1996, indicates that
"expulsion, defecation" are within the range of meaning. Georg Fohrer, Hebrew
and Aramaic Dictionary of the Old Testament, page 270, gives "bowel
movement" as the meaning. Benjamin Davies and Edward C. Mitchell, Student's
Hebrew Lexicon, Zondervan Publishing, 1960 printing, page 634, says "he has a
turning aside or privacy, i.e. he has withdrawn to ease nature." Ludwig Koehler
and Walter Baumgartner, A Bilingual Dictionary of the Hebrew and Aramaic
Old Testament, English and German, E. J. Brill Publishers, 1998, page 919,
reads "excrement, motion...he has to go to the privy." William L. Holladay, A
Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, Eerdman's-
E.J. Brill, 1971, 1988, page 350, says "bowel movement." William A.
VanGemeren, New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology
and Exegesis, Zondervan Publishers, 1997, volume 3, page 1233, indicates the
meaning of sig is "excrement...relieving himself." It was all out war against the
prophets of Baal and Baal himself! There was no ground of compromise, nor were
any terms sought.
What lessons do we learn from this historic contest of epic proportions?
First, the true spiritual troublemakers are always those who forsake Yahweh's
commandments. (v.18) Second, truth never has anything to fear. (v. 19)
Third, God's people need to be reminded of their duty to take a stand and not
be "wishy-washy." (v. 21) Fourth, a person should be kind to religious opponents,
but never compromise any detail of truth. (verses 22-25) Fifth, God's people
should not be alarmed by the desperate antics of false teachers. (verses 26,
28) Sixth, false gods do not impose any inherent threat to the people of the true
God, unless God's people delude themselves by thinking Yahweh is inadequate.
(verses 26b, 29b) Seventh, all departures from true worship must be corrected.
(v. 30) Eighth, nothing is too hard for Yahweh. He alone is God (verses 31-39)
Ninth, God's victory is always decisive. With God we cannot lose; without God
we cannot win. (v. 40) Tenth, we should never apologize to those who espouse
error for what we perceive to be the hardness, plainness, and direct approach
of men who risk their very lives in serving God in order to uphold the purity of
God's will!
In conclusion we ask, what was Baal doing that was so important that he
offered no help to his prophets? Elijah sarcastically suggested that he might
have been "on the toilet." There is no better place for any false god to be. At
least there he can feel at home.
RD
Copyright 2010
Ugaritic texts give strong attestation to this deity. He is first attested in the Ebla
texts from the second half of the 2nd millennium B.C. He is the most active and
prominent of all the Canaanite deities. From the Canaanite perspective, the fertility
of the land depends on the rain this god supplies. According to the Ugaritic texts,
Baal's dwelling was on Mount spn. The mountain in Hittite is called Hazzi.
It is clear from reading the Old Testament that Baal worship provided the
greatest and most enduring threat to the exclusive worship of Yahweh within
ancient Israel. The Israelites settled among the Canaanites, for whom the worship
of Baal was very important, and this is what accounts in part for the temptation of
Baal worship and the strong OT warnings against it. There was a great chasm
of ideological disparity between the prophets of Yahweh and the prophets of Baal.
It was inevitable that Elijah and Baal's prophets would clash.
1 Kings 18 contains one of the greatest contests recorded in the sacred scriptures.
The confrontation was between the prophet Elijah, and "the four hundred and
fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's
table." (1 Kings18:19) All Israel was summoned to Mount Carmel in an effort to
create solidarity within the nation and to bring them back to the true worship of
Yahweh.
In 1 Kings 18:27 we find one of the sharpest satires on paganism ever penned.
Several English versions (RSV, ESV, HCSB, NRSV and TANAKH) say, Elijah
"mocked" them. The (NIV and TNIV) say he "began to taunt them." The Hebrew
text uses the word wayhattel which can mean deceive. In this context, the
connotative meaning is to mock, deride, or taunt. Elijah mockingly said to Baal's
prophets, "Shout louder for he is a god." They thought he was a god, but Elijah
and all believers know better. (Ex. 20:4-5; Isa. 44:6; 1 Cor. 8:4-6) With
penetrating sarcasm he suggests that this "god" is perhaps "deep in thought, or
busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened." (TNIV)
Notice how Elijah attributes very human characteristics to their deity.
One of the words Elijah uses is particularly interesting. The Hebrew word
is sig. When used literally it means to wander, go aside, go away. Many
translations reflect this idea. (KJV "pursuing," ASV "gone aside," RSV "gone
aside," NRSV "wandered away," HCSB "wandered away," and TANAKH
"detained.") Other versions offer interpretations of sig that are quite striking.
(NLT "relieving himself," ESV "relieving himself," Living Bible "sitting on the
toilet." The TNIV chose "busy" for the translation.)
I think there is little doubt that Elijah uses the word sig euphemistically
rather than literally. I believe the NLT, ESV, and Living Bible are accurate in
their translation choices in this verse. Many of the older and contemporary
Hebrew lexicons provide evidence that their translation choices are correct.
Ludwig Koehler and Walter Baumgartner, Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon
of the Old Testament, volume 3, E.J. Brill Publishers, 1996, indicates that
"expulsion, defecation" are within the range of meaning. Georg Fohrer, Hebrew
and Aramaic Dictionary of the Old Testament, page 270, gives "bowel
movement" as the meaning. Benjamin Davies and Edward C. Mitchell, Student's
Hebrew Lexicon, Zondervan Publishing, 1960 printing, page 634, says "he has a
turning aside or privacy, i.e. he has withdrawn to ease nature." Ludwig Koehler
and Walter Baumgartner, A Bilingual Dictionary of the Hebrew and Aramaic
Old Testament, English and German, E. J. Brill Publishers, 1998, page 919,
reads "excrement, motion...he has to go to the privy." William L. Holladay, A
Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, Eerdman's-
E.J. Brill, 1971, 1988, page 350, says "bowel movement." William A.
VanGemeren, New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology
and Exegesis, Zondervan Publishers, 1997, volume 3, page 1233, indicates the
meaning of sig is "excrement...relieving himself." It was all out war against the
prophets of Baal and Baal himself! There was no ground of compromise, nor were
any terms sought.
What lessons do we learn from this historic contest of epic proportions?
First, the true spiritual troublemakers are always those who forsake Yahweh's
commandments. (v.18) Second, truth never has anything to fear. (v. 19)
Third, God's people need to be reminded of their duty to take a stand and not
be "wishy-washy." (v. 21) Fourth, a person should be kind to religious opponents,
but never compromise any detail of truth. (verses 22-25) Fifth, God's people
should not be alarmed by the desperate antics of false teachers. (verses 26,
28) Sixth, false gods do not impose any inherent threat to the people of the true
God, unless God's people delude themselves by thinking Yahweh is inadequate.
(verses 26b, 29b) Seventh, all departures from true worship must be corrected.
(v. 30) Eighth, nothing is too hard for Yahweh. He alone is God (verses 31-39)
Ninth, God's victory is always decisive. With God we cannot lose; without God
we cannot win. (v. 40) Tenth, we should never apologize to those who espouse
error for what we perceive to be the hardness, plainness, and direct approach
of men who risk their very lives in serving God in order to uphold the purity of
God's will!
In conclusion we ask, what was Baal doing that was so important that he
offered no help to his prophets? Elijah sarcastically suggested that he might
have been "on the toilet." There is no better place for any false god to be. At
least there he can feel at home.
RD
Copyright 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
Roosters Will Lay Eggs...IF
A person can go to heaven by living and dying in sin. But, according to
God's word it won't happen. Those who live according to the lusts of the flesh
will not go to heaven. "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the
kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters,
nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor
slanderers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)
"Now the works of the flesh are plain: sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery,
idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition,
dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I
did before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."
(Galatians 5:19-21) God says a person cannot go to heaven by living and dying
in sin.
This earth will be the eternal home of the saved. There are some religious
groups, sects, and cults that teach people to prepare for eternity on a renovated
earth. They are longing for a utopia on this planet. Their longing will never be
satisfied because God's word teaches that the saved will dwell in heaven forever.
First, when the Lord appears for the second time (Hebrews 9:28), the earth
along with the whole universe will be destroyed. So there will be no earth for the
saved to live on in eternity. (2 Peter 3:10-12) Second, in his first letter, Peter said
we have "an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in
heaven for you." (1 Peter 1:4) This is exactly what Jesus taught; "for your reward
is great in heaven." (Matthew 5:12) Third, Paul's teaching was in perfect
agreement with both Peter and Jesus. He wrote that those who are "in the Lord"
(both the dead and the living), "will meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be
with the Lord forever." The place that we will be forever, is the place from which
the Lord will descend on the last day, and that place is heaven! "For the Lord
himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command." (1 Thessalonians 4:16)
The earth will not be the eternal home of the saved.
Jesus established more than one religious group. Jesus, the Son of the
living God said, "I will build my assembly." (Matthew 16:18) The word church or
assembly is singular. Paul said "there is one body." (Ephesians 4:4) We all know
the significance of "one." One is one more than zero and one less than two. It's
just that simple. God planned the existence of only one "church" or religious group.
Through the "assembly" the manifold wisdom of God is made known. (Ephesians
3:9-11) The Lord's body of saved people is loved by Christ. He died for her and
"he cleansed her by the washing of water with the word." (Ephesians 5:26) Paul
clearly says that the Lord's body is the "assembly" or church. (Colossians 1:24)
Therefore, we must conclude that inasmuch as the Lord's body is the church, and
since there is one body, there is only one church or assembly of saved people.
Jesus did not establish more than one religious group.
According to God's word, a person cannot go to heaven by living and dying
in sin. Neither will the earth be the eternal home of the saved, and Jesus did not
establish more than one religious group. Since these things are true roosters will
never lay eggs!
RD
Copyright 2010
God's word it won't happen. Those who live according to the lusts of the flesh
will not go to heaven. "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the
kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters,
nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor
slanderers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)
"Now the works of the flesh are plain: sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery,
idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition,
dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I
did before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."
(Galatians 5:19-21) God says a person cannot go to heaven by living and dying
in sin.
This earth will be the eternal home of the saved. There are some religious
groups, sects, and cults that teach people to prepare for eternity on a renovated
earth. They are longing for a utopia on this planet. Their longing will never be
satisfied because God's word teaches that the saved will dwell in heaven forever.
First, when the Lord appears for the second time (Hebrews 9:28), the earth
along with the whole universe will be destroyed. So there will be no earth for the
saved to live on in eternity. (2 Peter 3:10-12) Second, in his first letter, Peter said
we have "an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in
heaven for you." (1 Peter 1:4) This is exactly what Jesus taught; "for your reward
is great in heaven." (Matthew 5:12) Third, Paul's teaching was in perfect
agreement with both Peter and Jesus. He wrote that those who are "in the Lord"
(both the dead and the living), "will meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be
with the Lord forever." The place that we will be forever, is the place from which
the Lord will descend on the last day, and that place is heaven! "For the Lord
himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command." (1 Thessalonians 4:16)
The earth will not be the eternal home of the saved.
Jesus established more than one religious group. Jesus, the Son of the
living God said, "I will build my assembly." (Matthew 16:18) The word church or
assembly is singular. Paul said "there is one body." (Ephesians 4:4) We all know
the significance of "one." One is one more than zero and one less than two. It's
just that simple. God planned the existence of only one "church" or religious group.
Through the "assembly" the manifold wisdom of God is made known. (Ephesians
3:9-11) The Lord's body of saved people is loved by Christ. He died for her and
"he cleansed her by the washing of water with the word." (Ephesians 5:26) Paul
clearly says that the Lord's body is the "assembly" or church. (Colossians 1:24)
Therefore, we must conclude that inasmuch as the Lord's body is the church, and
since there is one body, there is only one church or assembly of saved people.
Jesus did not establish more than one religious group.
According to God's word, a person cannot go to heaven by living and dying
in sin. Neither will the earth be the eternal home of the saved, and Jesus did not
establish more than one religious group. Since these things are true roosters will
never lay eggs!
RD
Copyright 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Positive Truths In Acts Chapter 2
Acts chapter 2 is not only relevant in its teaching and application, but it forms the
basis for the proper understanding of other portions of the New Testament. Let us
analyze some of the positive truths found in Acts chapter 2.
First, we learn who was "filled with the Holy Spirit" on the day of Pentecost. It
was not the one hundred twenty persons mentioned in Acts 1:15. Jesus did not
promise one hundred twenty persons that they "will be immersed with the Holy
Spirit not many days from now." He was speaking to his apostles. (Acts 1:1-5)
Matthias and the eleven apostles are the ones mentioned in the immediate context.
(Acts 1:26) The words "they were filled with the Holy Spirit" indicate a direct
fulfillment of the Lord's promise to them. The ones who were "filled" are the ones
who received power when the Holy Spirit came upon them. The ones who received
power are the ones who were told to wait in Jerusalem. The ones who were filled,
received power, and were told to wait are the apostles, not the one hundred
twenty. (Luke 24:33,44-49; Acts 1:2-5)
Second, we learn about the "tongues" that were spoken on the day of
Pentecost. They were not gibberish.They were not unintelligible multi-syllable
chatter void of meaning. They were not some sort of mumbo jumbo that sprang
from hyper emotional activity. They were actual languages. The Greek word
translated tongue is glossa, and in this context it refers to "a distinctive language
system." (The Concise Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament,
page 80, Frederick William Danker) The New Revised Standard Version and
the Holman Christian Standard Bible say "languages" in their texts. (cf. Acts 2:
4,6,8,11) The apostles spoke the word of life to people in their own languages.
Third, we learn who did the preaching on the day of Pentecost. Verse 14
tells us, "But Peter standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed
them." When the people were cut to the heart they "said to Peter and the other
apostles, 'Men, brothers, what should we do?' " There were no women
preachers addressing the multitudes on the day of Pentecost. All the apostles
were men. This was in harmony with the plan of God. God does not allow
women to teach or have authority over men in the religious realm. ( 1 Timothy
2:11-12) We should respect God's plan and govern ourselves accordingly.
God's will is always right. His wisdom is perfect and those who humble
themselves and are faithful servants will be blessed.
Fourth, we learn that Christ will not return to the earth in order to establish
a kingdom and reign for a thousand literal years. He is king and reigning over the
kingdom now. His reign began when he was raised from the dead and ascended
to heaven to sit at the right hand of God. Peter said "God had sworn with an
oath that he would set one of David's descendants on his throne, he foresaw
and spoke about the resurrection of the Messiah." (2:30-31) About whom is
he speaking? "This Jesus God raised up...being exalted therefore at the right
hand of God...God has made him both Lord and Messiah." (2:32,33,36)
Please note the following: Christ is on David's throne, but Christ is in heaven
at the right hand of God, so David's throne is in heaven at the right hand of
God! Since the throne is in heaven, it is not on earth and never will be! If
Jesus is on David's throne and if the throne is in heaven, then Jesus is surely
reigning over his kingdom. In order to reign over the kingdom, the kingdom
has to be in existence! Therefore, there will be no future kingdom established
on earth.
Fifth, we learn there is no need for a direct, supernatural, mysterious
operation of the Holy Spirit on a sinner's heart in conviction and conversion.
Were the people on Pentecost influenced by the Holy Spirit to obey the
gospel? Yes. That is not the question. The question is, was there a direct
operation of the Holy Spirit on their hearts in conviction and conversion?
The answer is a resounding "NO!" The Holy Spirit used Peter's message
as the means by which the people were taught, drawn, convicted, and
converted. Peter said, "Let all the house of Israel therefore know with
certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus
whom you crucified. Now when they heard this they were cut to the
heart..." (Acts 2:36-37) This is what I call "word impact." The Holy
Spirit's message through Peter's mouth is what convicted them! We are
told in verses 40 and 41, that Peter "testified with many other words and
exhorted them, saying, 'Save yourselves from this crooked generation.' So
those who received his word were immersed..." The influence that the Holy
Spirit exerted was through the word of God. (Romans 1:16; Hebrews 4:12)
The same is true with regard to every case of conversion in the New
Testament. There are no exceptions.
Sixth, we learn that immersion is essential to salvation from past sins.
When the Jews asked Peter and the other apostles, "What should we do?"
He responded, "You must change and let every one of you be immersed in
the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven." (2:38) Many people
believe they were to change and be immersed because they had already been
forgiven. If such is true, neither God who stipulated it, the Holy Spirit who
revealed it, Peter who preached it, Luke who wrote it, or the people on Pentecost
who asked about it ... knew it! They were to change and be immersed in order
to be forgiven of their sins.According to the New Testament, one is immersed
into Christ (Galatians 3:27), into his death (Romans 6:3-4), into one body
(1 Corinthians 12:13), and in order to be saved. (1 Peter 3:21)
The foregoing are just some of the positive truths found in Acts chapter 2.
These should suffice to show that the gospel of God is a positive message.
It positively obliterates all that opposes it and upholds everything that is in
agreement with it. (2 Corinthians 10:1-6)
RD
Copyright 2010
basis for the proper understanding of other portions of the New Testament. Let us
analyze some of the positive truths found in Acts chapter 2.
First, we learn who was "filled with the Holy Spirit" on the day of Pentecost. It
was not the one hundred twenty persons mentioned in Acts 1:15. Jesus did not
promise one hundred twenty persons that they "will be immersed with the Holy
Spirit not many days from now." He was speaking to his apostles. (Acts 1:1-5)
Matthias and the eleven apostles are the ones mentioned in the immediate context.
(Acts 1:26) The words "they were filled with the Holy Spirit" indicate a direct
fulfillment of the Lord's promise to them. The ones who were "filled" are the ones
who received power when the Holy Spirit came upon them. The ones who received
power are the ones who were told to wait in Jerusalem. The ones who were filled,
received power, and were told to wait are the apostles, not the one hundred
twenty. (Luke 24:33,44-49; Acts 1:2-5)
Second, we learn about the "tongues" that were spoken on the day of
Pentecost. They were not gibberish.They were not unintelligible multi-syllable
chatter void of meaning. They were not some sort of mumbo jumbo that sprang
from hyper emotional activity. They were actual languages. The Greek word
translated tongue is glossa, and in this context it refers to "a distinctive language
system." (The Concise Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament,
page 80, Frederick William Danker) The New Revised Standard Version and
the Holman Christian Standard Bible say "languages" in their texts. (cf. Acts 2:
4,6,8,11) The apostles spoke the word of life to people in their own languages.
Third, we learn who did the preaching on the day of Pentecost. Verse 14
tells us, "But Peter standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed
them." When the people were cut to the heart they "said to Peter and the other
apostles, 'Men, brothers, what should we do?' " There were no women
preachers addressing the multitudes on the day of Pentecost. All the apostles
were men. This was in harmony with the plan of God. God does not allow
women to teach or have authority over men in the religious realm. ( 1 Timothy
2:11-12) We should respect God's plan and govern ourselves accordingly.
God's will is always right. His wisdom is perfect and those who humble
themselves and are faithful servants will be blessed.
Fourth, we learn that Christ will not return to the earth in order to establish
a kingdom and reign for a thousand literal years. He is king and reigning over the
kingdom now. His reign began when he was raised from the dead and ascended
to heaven to sit at the right hand of God. Peter said "God had sworn with an
oath that he would set one of David's descendants on his throne, he foresaw
and spoke about the resurrection of the Messiah." (2:30-31) About whom is
he speaking? "This Jesus God raised up...being exalted therefore at the right
hand of God...God has made him both Lord and Messiah." (2:32,33,36)
Please note the following: Christ is on David's throne, but Christ is in heaven
at the right hand of God, so David's throne is in heaven at the right hand of
God! Since the throne is in heaven, it is not on earth and never will be! If
Jesus is on David's throne and if the throne is in heaven, then Jesus is surely
reigning over his kingdom. In order to reign over the kingdom, the kingdom
has to be in existence! Therefore, there will be no future kingdom established
on earth.
Fifth, we learn there is no need for a direct, supernatural, mysterious
operation of the Holy Spirit on a sinner's heart in conviction and conversion.
Were the people on Pentecost influenced by the Holy Spirit to obey the
gospel? Yes. That is not the question. The question is, was there a direct
operation of the Holy Spirit on their hearts in conviction and conversion?
The answer is a resounding "NO!" The Holy Spirit used Peter's message
as the means by which the people were taught, drawn, convicted, and
converted. Peter said, "Let all the house of Israel therefore know with
certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus
whom you crucified. Now when they heard this they were cut to the
heart..." (Acts 2:36-37) This is what I call "word impact." The Holy
Spirit's message through Peter's mouth is what convicted them! We are
told in verses 40 and 41, that Peter "testified with many other words and
exhorted them, saying, 'Save yourselves from this crooked generation.' So
those who received his word were immersed..." The influence that the Holy
Spirit exerted was through the word of God. (Romans 1:16; Hebrews 4:12)
The same is true with regard to every case of conversion in the New
Testament. There are no exceptions.
Sixth, we learn that immersion is essential to salvation from past sins.
When the Jews asked Peter and the other apostles, "What should we do?"
He responded, "You must change and let every one of you be immersed in
the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven." (2:38) Many people
believe they were to change and be immersed because they had already been
forgiven. If such is true, neither God who stipulated it, the Holy Spirit who
revealed it, Peter who preached it, Luke who wrote it, or the people on Pentecost
who asked about it ... knew it! They were to change and be immersed in order
to be forgiven of their sins.According to the New Testament, one is immersed
into Christ (Galatians 3:27), into his death (Romans 6:3-4), into one body
(1 Corinthians 12:13), and in order to be saved. (1 Peter 3:21)
The foregoing are just some of the positive truths found in Acts chapter 2.
These should suffice to show that the gospel of God is a positive message.
It positively obliterates all that opposes it and upholds everything that is in
agreement with it. (2 Corinthians 10:1-6)
RD
Copyright 2010
Friday, December 17, 2010
Christians Without Denominationalism
Most people in the religious world believe a Christian is a person who is a member
of one of the many denominational groups that exists. In their view, being a Christian is
equivalent to being a denominationalist. The word Christian (Grk. christianos) means an
adherent of Christ; a Christ-follower. It is only used three times in the New Testament
(Acts 11:26; Acts 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16). No denominational churches or societies existed
with God's approval in the days of the apostles, but there were Christians in those days.
This is conclusive proof that one can be a Christian and have no denominational
affiliation. They were Christians without denominationalism. We can and must be the
same.
While he lived on the earth, teaching and preparing his apostles for their mission
to the world, Jesus promised to build his assembly. (Matthew 16:18) It was established
on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Christ. (Acts 2) It was at that time that
people who were immersed were added together and constituted the spiritual body of
Jesus the Messiah. (Acts 2:41,47) This group was not planned by human beings
(Ephesians 3:8-12), was not built by human beings (Matthew 16:18), and it was not
revealed by human beings (Ephesians 3:1-6). Only the spiritual body of Christ was
planned by God, built by Christ, and revealed by the Holy Spirit. Those whom the Lord
added together "were called Christians." They were Christians because they had been
"immersed into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
(Matthew 28:19) They declared their allegiance to the Godhead, for they were the
property of the Sacred Three. In other words, they belonged to and had entered a
relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They did this without being a part
of any denomination. We can do the same.
The New Testament affirms that "there is one body." (Ephesians 4:4) The same
letter informs us that Jesus is "head over all things to the assembly, which is his body,
the fullness of him who fills all in all." (Ephesians 1:22-23) Jesus is preeminent and
has supremacy over everything pertaining to his spiritual body. (Colossians 1:18) He
directs her through the word of his Father that was revealed to the apostles by the Holy
Spirit. (John 14:25-26; 15:26-27; 16:13; 1 Corinthians 14:37) He does this without
denominational dogmas, schemes, creeds, or organizations. He has made it possible for
people to be Christians without denominationalism. Those who received the word of the
Lord during the days of the apostles were "immersed into one body." (1 Corinthians 12:13)
It is the way of perfect wisdom. It is the way that is undeniably right. It is the way that
God has prescribed.
If the foregoing facts are true, then why have most people chosen to do things a
different way? Some people are uninformed. They simply don't know any better
because they are not students of God's word. They rely on the "clergy" to tell them
what to believe and practice. They believe the infallibly safe course is to allow the
theologians to lead them down the path they are to follow. People should be like the
men and women of Berea. They should "examine the scriptures daily to see if the
things are so." (Acts 17:11) Other people tend to read God's word, see what it says,
and listen to its message if it is teaching something that is favorable to them or
something they are already practicing. If not, they allow human tradition to override
the truth of scripture. Human tradition is a formidable foe of divine truth. People tend
to set aside God's word in order to observe their traditions. (Matthew15:1-6)
May God help us to understand that his way is the only right way, and that we
can and must be Christians without denominationalism. We can be Christians without
joining a denomination. We can be Christians without supporting a denomination. We
should not be followers of mere men and movements. We should follow Christ, who
is "the head of the body, the assembly; {for} he is the beginning, the firstborn from
the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything." (1 Corinthians 1:10-17;
Colossians 1:18)
RD
Copyright 2010
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