Is the revival among young adults in the US sustainable? Understanding how our national identity changes when we become followers of Messiah Jesus is key to the current movements ability to be more than a “MAGA” movement dressed in Christian garb.
Bible Study: Genesis 12-17
In this section of the Bible, the Lord began to lay down revelation of His plan of redemption. In what we will call the pre-historic period, we see God moving to limit the manifestation of evil through (a) the flood, (b) the shortening of lifespan and (c) the confusion of languages at Babel. With these things accomplished, God initiated a plan that would require millennia to complete. He would establish a King that would rule over all of mankind. It began with the call of Abram. Abram was on the leading edge of this revelation and, today, we find ourselves on the trailing edge. We believe that the completion of the redemption process is near.
Abram lived in Mesopotamia. The Mesopotamian valley was an early civilized area. To the west was Egypt, which was also a civilized area from very early times. God called Abram to leave his home and go to the place that He would show him. God led Abram to the land of Canaan, an area between these two main civilized areas of the ancient world. We must ask the question, “Why did God choose to bring Abram to the land of Canaan”? We will attempt to answer this question later.
[Read more…] about Bible Study: Genesis 12-17Bible Study: Genesis 6-11
In this section of the Bible dealing with the period between the “fall of man” and the initiation of the first “redemptive covenant” (with Abraham), God acted to limit the manifestation of evil in mankind due to the influence of Satan. He reduced the “gene pool” of mankind by causing all future generations to be descended from one righteous family. He reduced the lifespan of man by an order of magnitude (from 900-plus years to a theoretical limit of 120 years). Finally, He confused the language at Babel making human cooperation very difficult.
The account of Noah presents us with some insight into way that God views “human progress”. It appears that God has predetermined limits on such development. During the days of Noah, mankind (daughters of Adam) was evidently interactive with spiritual beings (sons of god) resulting in offspring referred to as “niphilim” or “fallen ones”. These are the “men of renown” from ancient times, literally, from eternity. Since God acted to destroy these “mighty men” we must consider them as evil relative to God’s purpose. Only Noah and his immediate family were survived the flood.
[Read more…] about Bible Study: Genesis 6-11Bible Study: Genesis 1-6
The second creation account is recorded in Genesis 2. This account focuses on the creation of man and the unique position in which he stands. Man was created in God’s own image.
“And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him, male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27)
This probably means that man shares some important characteristics of God. We suspect that this includes the capacity to have manifestation and communication in both the spiritual and physical universes. In this account we learn of the “Garden of Eden” and the fruit-bearing trees placed there to supply food for man and the animal kingdom. We find two additional trees in the “garden” which are spiritual in nature. These are the “Tree of Life” and the “Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil”.
[Read more…] about Bible Study: Genesis 1-6Bible Study: Deuteronomy 33-34
This week ends the study through the books of Moses. Next week we will begin in Genesis. I pray to continue this comment each week until a whole year is completed.
This week I want to focus an amazing statement in Deuteronomy 34. It is recorded in verse 7.
“Although Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died, his eye was not dim, nor his vigor abated.”
The normal process of aging evidently had not impacted Moses according to this statement. It is appropriate to ask the question, why was this so? What had happened in Moses’ years that had such an effect? Had he secretly found the “fountain of youth” and drank of its water”?
[Read more…] about Bible Study: Deuteronomy 33-34Bible Study: Deuteronomy 32
This week section of the Bible includes what is called the “Song of Moses”. In this “song”, Moses recounts the past and predicts Israel’s future. In last week’s section we discussed how God spoke directly about Israel’s unfaithfulness and coming dispersion into the nations. Moses repeated the same prediction. It would be almost 800 years before this prophecy concerning dispersion was fulfilled. Today we have the advantage of the insight provided by history and realize that the entire prophecy has been, for the most part, fulfilled.
In the “Song of Moses” he again foresees the future fate of his people.
[Read more…] about Bible Study: Deuteronomy 32