EXODUS

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be acceptable in your sight,

O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Psalm 19:14 – ESV

EXODUS

Dr. Robert L Cate in The Layman’s Bible Book Commentary, Volume 2, Exodus (Nashville, Broadman Press) indicates “the book of Exodus is one of the most important books in the Old Testament. …. In this exodus Israel made a geographical pilgrimage from Egypt to Sinai, a social pilgrimage from slavery to freedom, and a spiritual pilgrimage from being merely the sons of Israel to being the covenant people of God”. In this old testament book we find the very foundations of God’s people and kingdom.

Here also we find Moses who is said to be the author of the Penteuch. More interesting he is just another flawed man, with many excuses, used by God in a most meaningful way. We will see again and again that God uses ordinary men in extraordinary ways.

As we consider the importance of Exodus let’s remember that here are found the burning bush, the plagues, the exodus from Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, the ten commandments and so much more. As we proceed we will discover that Exodus is one of the more readable books.

Another interesting piece of “Twisted Scripture” from The Apologetics Study Bible:

Twisted Scripture: Exodus 31:12-17

According to the Seventh-day Adventists and other sabbatarian sects, the fourth commandment is an eternal decree to be obeyed by all throughout the ages. Since the Sabbath is Saturday, the sabbatarians deduce that Christians should be worshiping on the seventh day of the week, not the first. This passage, however, was not addressed to the church but to the children of Israel. Being under the new covenant, Christians are freed from the law of Moses (Rm 6:14; 14:5; Gl 3:24). The primitive church worshiped on the first day of the week (Ac 20:7; 1 Co 16:1-2), commemorating the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ

—Apologetics Study Bible, The

Day 14 - Catch Up - Genesis 10 - 45

Genesis 10 – 45 A Catch Up Look

Since the beginning of blogs I have been an avid follower of certain blogs. One frustration I have had is when the blog is not updated on a regular basis. Now I understand why. I have gone eleven days without posting. I sincerely apologize. Hence the catch-up phrase. This much of the following commentary is strictly my perspective.

Chapter 11 deals with the Tower of Babel. We are told at this time the entire “earth had one language and the same words”. (Genesis 11:1 ESV) Now God came down, looked around and determine that man was attempting to gain all the knowledge of God. So the language was confused. And it remains so even though man still tries to establish himself as Gods equal.

Now comes on the scene The father of the patriarchs Abram (Abraham). Abraham was indeed a man of great faith. It seems the Lord spoke and Abraham responded as told. Can you say with confidence that you would move your family to an unknown place or that you would kill your son because God told you to. I think most of us would have to struggle with this.

It is true that God made a covenant with Abraham and that He blessed him in many ways.
I realize that Abraham lived in a different time and culture than your humble host. However, I think this is another example of God using a flawed individual in a powerful way. Genesis 12:10 – 13 “..So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land. 11When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance, 12and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me, but they will let you live. 13Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake.” (ESV) I may be off base but it seems to me that this is a rather cowardly action, to hide behind your wife to save your own life. What do you thin?

Some fundamentalist support this sort of action with their attitude toward women.

(To be Continued)

The Flood - Two By Two?

DAY 3  GENESIS 7 – 9


The first eleven chapters of Genesis are known by many commentators as “primeval history”. In three days we will have read nine of the eleven chapters. A comment was this morning by one of the participants in this study that he had read through the Bible ten times and this time he was rather surprised at how quickly the “flood” account came up. I too was surprised.

I have noted before that I have read through several times and each time I discover things that I had not noticed before. This time I noticed something marvelous in 6:19 “19 From all living creatures, from all living things, you must take two of each kind aboard the ark, to save their lives with yours; they must be a male and a female.” and then in 7:2 “2 Of every clean animal you must take seven pairs, a male and its female; of the unclean animals you must take one pair, a male and its female 3 (and of the birds of heaven, seven pairs, a male and its female), to preserve their species throughout the earth. ” It occurs to me that all of my life I heard about taking the animal aboard the ark “two by two”, now what about the extra six pairs? John MacArthur indicates: “ The extra 6 pairs of clean animals and birds would be used for sacrifice (8:20) and food (9:3) ”. This is another wonderful example of the spiritual “The Lord Will Provide”. God here has provided the sacrifice in the same way that “…he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Day 2 - Questions and More Questions

January 2, 2010 - Genesis 4 – 6


Readings for January 3rd, 2010 – Genesis 7 – 9

What a start in just two days and six chapters of Genesis we have encountered many of the most troubling questions of the Bible. Questions such as:

1. Are Adam and Eve real or just a metaphor?

2. . How do we interpret the creation account? Are the days 24 hour days?

3. Genesis 1:26 says: 26Then God said, “Let us make man£ in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version

Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.)

Did you notice that the passage says “Let us make man in our image…”?

(At this point it should be noted that the Hebrew word for man (adam) is the generic term for mankind and becomes the proper name Adam).

Now we come to today’s readings. And another question arises: Why was Abel’s offering acceptable and Cain’s was not? ). The Apologetics study Bible indicates: “God preferred Abel's offering not because He liked meat more than vegetables or shepherds more than farmers, but because Abel's offering was made in faith (Heb 11:4). He offered the best of his flock ("the firstborn"), and Cain offered only "some" of his produce (Gn 4:3; cp. Ex 23:19; Lv 2:14).—Apologetics Study Bible, The

Twisted Scripture: Genesis 4:19

Mormons cite this verse and their own scriptures (Doctrines and Covenants, section 132) in order to justify polygamy. Polygamy, however, came into existence only after the fall in the garden. The creation mandate directs that a man shall be joined to one wife (2:24). Other verses that teach monogamy include Pr 5:18-19; Mal 2:14-15; Mk 10:2-8; 1 Co 7:2, 10; 1 Tm 3:2, 12; and Titus 1:6. While there are examples of polygamy in the OT (2 Sm 5:13; 1 Kg 11:3), they did not receive God's approval. Instead God, in His mercy, issued laws to protect the many wives and children of polygamists.

—Apologetics Study Bible, The

Is that not interesting? Often wondered how polygamy was justified.

And the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. .” (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.). Now what was this “mark? John MacArthur in his notes on Genesis 4:15 says: “4:15 sign. While not described here, it involved some sort of identifiable mark that he was under divine protection which was mercifully given to Cain by God. At the same time, the mark that saved him was the lifelong sign of his shame. “

Now we come to Adam’s descendants to Noah in Chapter 5. It is here that we become aware the exceptional age of these patriarchs. Methuselah lived 969 years Joesph 110, that is a significant span that seems to have diminished after the flood.

How Old Were the Patriarchs?

ADAM 930 years (Gen. 5:5)

SETH 912 years (Gen. 5:8)

ENOSH 905 years (Gen. 5:11)

ENOCH 365 years (Gen. 5:23)

METHUSELAH 969 years (Gen. 5:27)

LAMECH 777 years (Gen. 5:31)

NOAH 950 years (Gen. 9:29)

~~~ The Flood ~~~

SHEM 600 years (Gen. 11:10, 11)

EBER 464 years (Gen. 11:16, 17)

TERAH 205 years (Gen. 11:32)

ABRAHAM 175 years (Gen. 25:7)

ISAAC 180 years (Gen. 35:28)

JACOB 147 years (Gen. 47:28)

JOSEPH 110 years (Gen. 50:26)

The patriarchs who lieved before the Flood had an average lifespan of 900 years (Gen. 5). The ages of post-Flood patriarchs dropped rapidly and gradually leveled off (Gen. 11). Some suggest that this is due to major environmental changes brought about by the Flood.

Chapter 6 deals with the Nephilum and with Noah and the coming flood. It seems the earth had become an evil place and God was disappointed with His creation. Does that seem familiar?

A pastor friend of mine once said that he carried a small notebook in his pocket on which he wrote all of these questions for which there seemed to be no definitive answer. When he get to heaven he will ask God. We have a good start on our own notebooks.
Again Adam lived to be 930 years and it seems his memory was still good. I’ve just made it to 67 and my memory is slipping. Here is an interesting Twisted scripture that goes with Genesis 1:27:

Twisted Scripture: Genesis 1:27

Modern-day vampires trace their origins to this verse and the mythical figure of Lilith, who was supposedly created before Eve. The legend of Lilith derives from a theory that Genesis has two creation accounts (this verse and 2:7, 20-22). The two stories allow for two different women. Lilith does not appear in the Bible (apart from a debatable reference comparing her to a screech owl in the Hb text of Isa 34:14). Some rabbinic commentators, however, refer to Lilith as the first created woman, who refused to submit to Adam and fled from the garden. Eve was then created to be Adam's helper. After their expulsion from the garden, Adam reunited for a time with Lilith before finally returning to Eve. Lilith bore Adam a number of children, who became the demons of the Bible. According to kabbalistic legend, after Adam's reconciliation with Eve, Lilith took the title Queen of the Demons and became a murderer of infants and young boys, whom she turned into vampires.

—Apologetics Study Bible, The

HAPPY NEW YEAR - January 1, 2010 - Day 1 Genesis 1 - 3

GENESIS – THE BEGINNING




The New Jerusalem Bible indicates: Genesis, the story of origins, sets the scene for the whole Bible. It is the first book in our Bibles and it is the first of five scrolls in the Pentateuch the Hebrew Scriptures (Torah). Jack Hayford says “Genesis gives the beginning of almost everything, including the beginning of the universe, life, humanity, Sabbath, death, marriage, sin, redemption, family, literature, cities, art, language and sacrifice.” So let us begin.

The Creation of the World, Paradise, and the Test of Free Will and The Fall are the titles for the first three chapters in The New Jerusalem Bible. The first three chapters present us with many questions. The first bit of trivia from The Apologetics Study Bible:

Twisted Scripture: Genesis 1:1-2

The creation story has been interpreted in various ways. Some Christians believe a time gap exists between these verses, with verse 1 referring to God's initial creative act and verse 2 describing a world plunged into chaos and darkness, possibly through the expulsion of Satan from heaven. Only later in the chapter does God choose to create human beings (v. 27). According to this gap theory, millions of years could have passed between verses 1 and 2.

Using similar logic, those followers of the New Age movement who believe in the existence of the lost continent of Atlantis place the rise and fall of the ancient civilization between verses 1-2. Edgar Cayce, known as the "sleeping prophet," taught that Atlantis existed 10 million years ago and was inhabited by spirit beings. After a cataclysmic destruction ("chaos and darkness"), the spirits of the inhabitants eventually took up residence in the bodies of Adam and Eve and the others who populated God's new creation (v. 27). Thus all earthlings originally resided in Atlantis.

—Apologetics Study Bible, The

Two creation accounts, Atlantis, Edgar Cayce, all of this in the first chapters of Genesis? Not only that but “The Hebrew word for "God," Elohim, is grammatically plural—Apologetics Study Bible, This has been interpreted by some, including the Masons in Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol, to mean that we are all gods. Wow, all of this and more in our first read. This is why prayer and the leadership of the Holy Spirit is essential.

Bible. English. New Jerusalem Bible. 1990.
The New Jerusalem Bible.—Reader’s ed.
The New Jerusalem Bible. New York : Doubleday, 1985

Hayford’s Bible Handbook
Copyright 1995 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Hayford, Jack W. ; Thomas Nelson Publishers: Hayford's Bible Handbook. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995


The Apologetics Study Bible —Apologetics Study Bible, The
Copyright © 2007 by Holman Bible Publishers. Database © 2007 WORDsearch Corp.

Addendum to Genesis 1 – 3


Over the years in my Bible studies I have used many reference resources ranging from very conservative to extremely liberal. One such resource that I have avoided until recently is the Holman Christian Standard version published in 1999. I recently acquired a copy of The Apogetics Study Bible in the Homan Christian Standard Version. In my opinion the Bible texts are sound but the study portions are very conservative to the extreme. However, I have found the “Twisted Scripture” portions to be quite interesting and illustrative of the point that we must be extremely careful in our interpretation. You will find that I will use some of these throughout this study. Here are two that go with the readings for January 1st.

Twisted Scripture: Genesis 1:27

Modern-day vampires trace their origins to this verse and the mythical figure of Lilith, who was supposedly created before Eve. The legend of Lilith derives from a theory that Genesis has two creation accounts (this verse and 2:7, 20-22). The two stories allow for two different women. Lilith does not appear in the Bible (apart from a debatable reference comparing her to a screech owl in the Hb text of Isa 34:14). Some rabbinic commentators, however, refer to Lilith as the first created woman, who refused to submit to Adam and fled from the garden. Eve was then created to be Adam's helper. After their expulsion from the garden, Adam reunited for a time with Lilith before finally returning to Eve. Lilith bore Adam a number of children, who became the demons of the Bible. According to kabbalistic legend, after Adam's reconciliation with Eve, Lilith took the title Queen of the Demons and became a murderer of infants and young boys, whom she turned into vampires.

Twisted Scripture: Genesis 3:15

Many Pentecostal Oneness sects use this verse to promote the serpent seed theory. William Branham, a faith healing evangelist of the 1940s, taught that Eve's sin in the garden was an illicit sexual affair with the serpent, resulting in her pregnancy. The serpent's seed was Cain and his descendants. Scripture is clear that the first sin was not sexual but rather consisted of Adam's disobedience to God's command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (2:16-17).

(The Apologetics Study Bible. Copyright 2007, Holman Bible Publishers. Nashville, Tennessee)