In Genesis, the phrase “these are the generations” was prominent, being found ten times. Interestingly, this chapter begins with that phrase (1) to speak of the family tree of Moses and Aaron. These brothers were Levites, and only their family could “come near” the tabernacle (10,38). Anyone else coming near it would be put to death.
Coming near referred to passing “beyond the prescribed limits of one’s position. Levites could not usurp the privileges of priesthood, and laymen could not lay claim to the prerogatives of the Levites” (Smith, Pentateuch, 417). Moses reviews the case of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, who exceeded their limits by offering unauthorized fire (4; cf. Lev. 10:1-3) and died before the Lord. That meant that during the wandering period the Israelites were served by Aaron and his other sons, Eleazar and Ithamar (4).
This organization and plan was divinely-given, signified by the phrase “and the Lord spoke to Moses” (5,11,14,40,44). The set up came from His mind, as He knew what would be best for Israel to protect them and keep them together. The Levites are brought near and presented to Aaron the High Priest, dedicated as the only ones designated “to do the service of the tabernacle” (8). They are the only ones permitted. They are designated as the firstborn to the Lord (Ex. 13; 22; 34). They are grouped into three divisions, the Gershonites, Kohathites, and Merarites (14-20). The Gershonites numbered 7,500 and camped on the west side of the tabernacle, Kohathites 8,600 (south), and Merarites 6,200 (north) (21-39).
After the census, we see the Levites performing a duty representing the firstborns dedicated to God. “…The firstborn males of the children of Israel belonged to God as his servants, but they could now be redeemed by (1) the rendering of the Levites as substitutionary payment or (2) the payment of the redemption fee of five shekels for those unaccounted for in the Levite census” (Cole, NAC, 100). In recognition of God’s deliverance, there was a cost to be paid to demonstrate appreciation. This was proven by a monetary sacrifice. Redemption was both a recognition of sin and grace. Moses epitomizes the faithfulness of the nation still at this point, the leader exemplifying obedience to God (42,51). The Levites mediated for the people to God.
While all of this seems so ritualistic, it is designed to remind the people of God’s deliverance, their sin debt, and the fact that God has a plan to take care of redemption. When Christ comes, a perfect means of redemption would occur (1 Pet. 1:18-19). By Him, we are allowed to come near to God with boldness (Heb. 4:16).
The winged sphinxes of Ain Dara, in Syria, are strikingly similar to the description of the cherubim that decorated Solomon’s temple. Even the layout of both sites appears to be similar, sharing 33 of 65 architectural elements. Over the last past 3,000 years the ancient shrine has been caught in the middle of several battles; destroying the already fragile structures.
The most curious aspect of the site however, are the giant engraved footprints on the temple floor. The (assumed) Aramean-speaking creators chiseled the mysterious prints that are speculated to represent the “presence” of some god worshipped there long ago.
In 2015, the terrorist group known as “ISIS” demolished the Bel Temple (Baalath) after filling it with explosives. They likely did this, not to destroy remnants of ancient Baal worship, but because the temple site had been a church building since the mid-5th century. This slice of Syrian land had once been a town of the tribe of Dan (Josh.19.14) that was later fortified for Solomon’s own purposes (2 Chron. 8.6, 1 Kgs. 19.18).
We know the church is made of God’s people built up on the foundation of Christ (Matt. 16.18). His family is eternal and if the building we worship in is burned down, blown up, or falls apart— the church still remains.
Like Solomon, we can also “repurpose” our homes. We can transform a “pagan site” into one that serves the Lord. We chose what we do with our homes. In our homes we can glorify (or worship) ourselves, or we can dedicate our homes to God.
“…as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
One of the greatest gas engines ever made was Ford’s 300L6. That thing will run without any oil for some time, and you’d have to be paying attention to know it’s low on oil. I once drove from Littleton, Colorado, to Ft Collins, Colorado, and back (total of about 150 miles) with zero oil in a 1972 F-100 and it was fine(ish). But the life expectancy of any engine in that condition is radically diminished, even in such a well-designed platform.
Our bodies are incredibly complex and we still don’t fully understand them. Half our medications have in their literature something like, “We don’t know how this works, but we think it…” We’re well-made engines running without oil because of sin. We’ll run, but we’re destined to die because sin runs us dry.
Romans 5.18 says, One sin of Adam brought the punishment of death to all people.
Romans 8.2 says, In Christ Jesus the law of the spirit that brings life made you free. It made you free from the law that brings sin and death.
Romans 5.12 says, Sin came into the world because of what one man did. And with sin came death. So this is why all people must die — because all people have sinned.
Romans 6.23 says, When people sin, they earn what sin pays — death.
I John 5.16 says, There is a sin that leads to death.
John 8.21 says, Jesus said to the people, “I will leave you. You will look for me, but you will die in your sin. You cannot come where I am going.” A few verses later, If you don’t believe that I AM, you will die in your sins.
Israel, Listed In the Camps by Their Companies (2:1-34)
Neal Pollard
Again, in this cycle of Numbers, the people are commanded by the Lord through Moses and Aaron (1) and, to their credit, “Thus did the people of Israel. According to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so they” did (33-34). What a great beginning to this final leg of the exodus! Numbers two moves from the total number of the people to how they set up camp.
We have the orderly arrangement. The east side of the tabernacle and Levites are Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. The south side of the tabernacle and Levites are Reuben, Simeon, and Gad. To the west are Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin. To the north side are Dan, Asher, and Naphtali. The purpose for this arrangement is explained at the very end of the chapter. Moses writes, “So they camped by their standards, and so they set out, each one in his clan, according to his fathers’ house” (34b).
Consider this. “The twelve Tribes are divided into four corps, which encamp about the centre of the Levitical sanctuary, and that in the order of East, South, West, and North. The four leading tribes are Judah, Reuben, Ephraim, and Dan. To Judah, the first leader-tribe, with its camp in the East, are joined Issachar and Zebulun, who also were sons of Leah; a very strong chief force at the Tan of the army. To the south was the camp of Reuben in conjunction with the tribes of Simeon and Gad. It should be noted in this connection, that the tribe of Simeon at this time numbered many more warriors than Reuben. On the west Ephraim was encamped, at the head of Manasseh and Benjamin. Here then all the children of Rachel are united. To the north Asher and Naphtali are encamped under the leadership of the tribe of Dan. Here with Dan the adopted son of Rachel, are associated his brother Naphtali and his half-brother Asher” (Lange, 24-25).
They were to mobilize in orderly fashion, too. Verse 17 reveals, “as they camp, so shall they set out, each in position, standard by standard.” Thus, God, setting up the tabernacle and the various divisions of the Levites with buffers on all four sides, also set up the order and direction of their setting out when it was time for battle. How the Levites encamped will be explained in the next chapter.
We have the raw numbers. It was important enough to God for subsequent readers to have the population numbers that He preserved them in Scripture. In Numbers 1:46, Moses gives the total number of the fighting men as 603,550. The math works in chapter two. Judah has 74,600, Issachar has 54,400, Zebulun has 57,400, Reuben has 46,500, Simeon has 59,300, Gad has 46,650, Ephraim has 40,500, Manasseh has 32,200, Benjamin has 35,400, Dan has 62,700, Asher has 41,500, and Naphtali has 53,400. This harmonizes and shows us the strength of Israel’s fighting force at the time they were to go in and take Canaan.
We have the heart of the camp. The “tent of meeting” will be mentioned a whopping 78 times in Numbers. That is well over one-third of all references to it in the Pentateuch. It is the figurative heart of Israel, the place where God communes with them in worship. Yet, it also literally at the heart, or center, of the encampment. Verse 2 says, “They shall camp around the tent of meeting at a distance.” Verse 17 says, “Then the tent of meeting shall set out with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camps; just as they camp, so they shall set out, every man in his place by their standards.” As the symbolic presence of God, He positions the camp at the very middle and focal point of their entire population. Let us not miss that this is the position He always seeks to have in His children’s lives.
In the very intimate correspondence to his spiritual son that we call the epistle of 2 Timothy, Paul seems very aware that the time of his departure from this earth had come (4:6). Paul was not under house arrest, like we read at the end of Acts. He is in chains (1:16).
The city of Rome burned between July 19-24, 64 AD. The fire started in the Circus Maximus stadium, but burned 10 of the city’s 14 districts before it was extinguished. Some historians blame Nero, but there is no doubt Nero blamed the Christians. He rounded up Christians already in the city, including Peter (cf. 2 Pet. 1:14-15), and had many of them executed that same fall.
Lenski says Paul was in Spain at the time of the fire, but he was captured in a continuing dragnet of Christians: “Christianity had become a religio illicita, and especially its propagation became a crime against the state. Not long after Paul’s return from Spain he was arrested. Now he would be charged with a crime; Paul was, therefore, thrown into a dungeon as a felon. After some delay he was tried and executed. Tradition asserts that he perished under Nero who died June 9, 68. The details of his martyrdom are not known. He must have been condemned to death for spreading a religio illicita” (474).
So, as the time drew nearer for him to die, Paul uses an interesting word to describe his anticipated situation. He reviews some of the events of his first missionary journey, reminding Timothy that at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra he endured many persecutions, “and out of them all the Lord rescued me!” (3:11). You may remember that this including being stoned by the Jews and left for dead. That was a miraculous rescue!
Now, confined to chains with an insane emperor breathing down his neck, Paul says that the Christians had deserted him. Considering the enormous scrutiny they were under simply for being Christians, visiting a notorious, incarcerated Christian was risky! He charitably prayed that it might not be counted against them (4:16). Then, he says that he was rescued from out of the lion’s mouth (4:17), and “interpreters have identified the lion as the literal lions of the amphitheater, the emperor Nero, or Satan” (Lea and Griffin, The New American Commentary, Vol. 34, 256). But, we cannot be sure. But, even if the lion was figurative, the rescue was literal.
At nearly the end of his last letter, Paul confidently adds, “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom” (4:18). Consider Nero and the Roman machine! He had already been beaten numerous times. Who knows the terrible hardships he endured in the squalor of this dungeon? Yet, he would state with confidence that God would rescue him from the worst of them. Perhaps weeks or days after he dispatched this letter to Timothy, guards unlocked him and took him to the chopping block where, as a Roman citizen, he died by beheading rather than a harsher death like crucifixion or burning. What about his inspired words in 2 Timothy 4:18?
Paul teaches us to think eternally and heavenly. On the other side of that beheading, there was safety and arrival to God’s heavenly kingdom. It was what he lived for. It was what he died for. What a reminder as we live in this body for such a short time, that we await our rescue. Our rescuer is Jesus, “who rescues us from the wrath to come” (1 Th. 1:10). He “delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us” (2 Cor. 1:10).
When we read Numbers, we remind ourselves that this is the same generation who saw the wonders of the ten plagues after which God led them out of Egypt, for whom He parted the Red Sea, for whom He provided their food (Ex. 16:35) and water (Ex. 17:1), and whom He promised to give the land promised to their forefather, Abraham (Ex. 6:8). In the book of Numbers, we have the climactic moment where the people have the ability to conquer. They are at the cusp of Canaan, and God tells them to take it. Before we get to those fateful moments, we may need to remind ourselves that the people started very well. They are in the Wilderness of Sinai (1), and in the first ten chapters their thinking and behavior could be described as faithful. It is “the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt” (1). Just one month earlier, they had put up the tabernacle (Ex. 40:2,17). Now, God commands a census to muster the men for war.
James Smith is always an excellent resource. He gives us this overarching view of Numbers. “The key thought in Numbers is discipline…. The theme of Numbers is the education of the nation. The key passage is 14:29–30 where God sentenced an entire generation to wander in the wilderness for forty years because of their lack of faith” (The Pentateuch, 405).
The Instructions (2-4). The instructions was to number the people by tribe, every male from 20 years old and above who could go out to war. Their is no maximize age put as a cape on older soldiers serving. Aaron was to oversee the numbering, and a man over each tribe would be in charge of the military readiness of his tribe (4). As will happen later in the book, each tribe has a recognized leader to whom orders can be delegated.
The Assistants (5-16). Those leaders are enumerated in these twelve verses. Except for Gad and Dan, all tribes are listed in birth order as they were born to Jacob through Leah, through Rachel, through Leah’s handmaid Zilpah, and finally through Rachel’s handmaid Bilhah. We will see these twelve men again for the tribal camp arrangements (2:3ff), tribal offerings for the tabernacle (7:12ff), and the tribal divisions as Israel departs Sinai for Canaan (10:14ff). A different group, though still heads and leaders of their respective tribes, is chosen to spy out the land (13:4-15).
The Results (17-46). Here is a handy chart to delineate both the first and second (26:51).
Tribe
First Census
Second Census
Reuben
46,500
43,730
Simeon
59,300
22,200
Gad
45,650
40,500
Judah
74,600
76,500
Issachar
54,400
64,300
Zebulun
57,400
60,500
Ephraim
40,500
32,500
Manasseh
32,200
52,700
Benjamin
35,400
45,600
Dan
62,700
64,400
Asher
41,500
53,400
Naphtali
53,400
45,400
TOTAL
603,550
601,730
(Cole, NAC, 77).
Some have balked at the large number of fighting men, as the logistics of providing for so many people boggles the mind. But as the Lord told Sarah many generations before, “Is anything too difficult for the Lord?” (Gen. 18:14). This book is written in narrative style and presents itself straightforwardly. There is no plausible reason to disbelieve it.
The Exemption (47-53). The Levites are delegated the spiritual leadership of the nation, first proven on Sinai (Ex. 32:26-29). It is the tribe of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, and it is the tribe of the priests. They are exempted from military service to provide spiritual service. They are to “carry” (50), “take care of” (50), “take down” and “set up” the tabernacle (51), and “keep guard” of the tabernacle (53). They served, but in a different capacity.
Do not gloss over the summary statement at the end of the chapter. ” Thus the sons of Israel did; according to all which the Lord had commanded Moses, so they did” (54). What a reminder that the divine judgment is, “Well done” rather than “well begun” (Mt. 25:21,23). Israel has such a hopeful beginning, a fact we should pause to acknowledge. But, we must never forget exhortations like Ezekiel 18:24,26, in which God says turning away from righteousness will bring about spiritual death and “all his righteous deeds will not be remembered.” The context of the prophet makes it clear this is not what God wants (Ezek. 18:23), but it is what happens if one ceases faithfulness. What love for God to teach us about His character and forewarn us of His perfect intentions.
From what we just read, it is doubtless that these are Paul’s last, inspired words. The time of his departure is at hand and he is ready to be offered (7). He chooses to speak of 19 specific individuals from faithful coworkers to those who betrayed him to those who were spiritual enemies. While there are a few logistical matters mentioned by Paul, there is also a few notes of a time-sensitive or urgent nature as well as some very personal feelings. Let us look closer into Paul’s final words.
He expressed concern about people’s spiritual condition. He mentions Demas, who because he was “in love with this present world” had deserted Paul (10). Demas is a shortened form of Demetrius (Lea & Griffin, NAC, 252), leading some to speculate if he might be the man mentioned by John (3 John 12). We know he is favorably described earlier in Paul’s ministry, a fellow worker (Phile. 24) and one who sends greetings (Col. 4:14). There’s no mention of his buying into false teaching. We will never know what he left for, but we do know why he left. It is tragic. Alexander the coppersmith (14) is mentioned only as a spiritual enemy, first to last. He was likely the man mentioned in 1 Timothy 1:20, and the “blasphemy” has been thought by many (Fee and Spicq among them) to be that Alexander informed on Paul and caused his rearrest. Whatever his sin, he is immortalized in infamy here!
He expressed concern about people’s physical condition. As a man who had suffered so much physically (Gal. 4:13,15; 2 Cor. 11:23ff), he probably had empathy for those who suffered in this way (note his concern about Epaphroditus in Philippians 2:25-30). He expresses such concern here, writing about Trophimus whom he left ill at Miletus (20). A man whose life intertwined with so many, whose list of co-workers is exhaustive, was going to, in his words, “rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep” (Rom. 12:15).
He expressed interest in people’s spiritual service. The bulk of those he mentions, he seems to do so in connection with their faithful Christian activity. There is no reason to conclude other than that Crescens and Titus left Paul for missionary efforts (10). The same is true of Tychicus (12), Priscilla and Aquila (19), the household of Onesiphorus (19), Erastus (20), Eubulus (21), Pudens (21), Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers (21). These all appear to be faithful brothers and sisters, at work in their various fields of ministry. It says a lot about Paul, a man who was very interested in education (he wanted Timothy to bring him his books and parchments, 13), who had succeeded in business (Acts 18:3), and was a man who was widely-traveled and well-informed. But, what captured his greatest interest was kingdom matters. It’s what dominated his last recorded words.
He expressed personal concerns. It is easy to forget that such an extraordinary person as Paul was only human (In his words, “Who is weak without my being weak?”–2 Cor. 11:29). He is lonely, pleading with Timothy, “Do your best to come to me soon” (9). It is so much on his mind that he inserts it a second time at the very end of the letter: “Do your best to come before winter” (21; Did he hear rumors that he is about to executed?). He also longs to see John Mark again, whom he knows is useful for service once more (11). Perhaps he is feeling physical discomfort, being cold in the dank dungeon (13). But he had also felt alone in his times of spiritual trial, having no one with him when making his initial defense (16). Yet, overriding his personal concerns was his unshaken confidence in God’s providence and deliverance (16-18). He had experienced His rescue and knew that he would ultimately be brought safely into God’s heavenly kingdom!
Note Paul’s very last words: “The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you” (22). This draws me back to Paul’s first admonition in this letter (1:7). Paul reminds Timothy that God has not given us a spirit of timidity. Now, Paul prays that God would be with his spirit. What better encouragement than “grace”? How will any of us make it without spiritual strength and unmerited favor?
It is suggested that Roman citizens were given the relatively compassionate execution of beheading, over in a moment. History says Paul met such a fate later in the year this epistle is written. Peter, a non-citizen, would have faced a more cruel fate. Sure enough, tradition says he was crucified as part of the same dragnet by Nero. In fact, history says he requested to be crucified upside down in deference to his Lord (Eusebius, Ecc. History, 3.1.2). Whatever the specifics, Paul leaves the stage of Scripture an accomplished apostle, a courageous Christian, and an influential servant of Christ. He lived and died “not ashamed.”
If you like fishing, you know it can be fun; and overwhelming sometimes.
One day I was just sitting at home and one of my friends invited me over to go fishing with them, so I packed my gears and went. On that day I did not catch anything, not even a little fish. On the second I got invited over to go fishing but still I did not catch any fish. On the third day I got invited again so I packed my gear and went and I caught a big fish! That third trip taught me something, to never give up.
Just like the story of Daniel as we read about in in (Daniel 6:10). He never gave up. He prayed to God three time a day and he never stopped praying and God delivered him from the lion’s den.
Or the story of Abraham, as we read about it in Romans 4:18-21. He never gave up. He kept believing he would have a son and trusted God.
We can also learn something from the story of Job as we read about it in James 5:11. Job didn’t give up when he was suffering. He kept waiting for God’s help.
Or as we read in Luke 8:40-48 about the bleeding woman. She didn’t give up trying to be healed. She came to Jesus and he healed her.
Or as we read it in John 17:4. Jesus didn’t give up on saving us!
So we shouldn’t give up either; just because you are having a bad day or dealing with a life crisis that shouldn’t stop you or discourage you from praying to God. Leave you worries to God. You know that He will never leave you if you keep on seeking Him first. And stay courageous because there’s a happy ending and endless joy in God’s kingdom!
Do not give up!
(Jermie is a refugee originally from the Congo who came to the International Center in Bowling Green. He obeyed the gospel only a few months ago! He was invited by another new Christian and fellow refugee, Jonas Gwishi, who was invited by one of our young adults, Chase Johnson)
As we reflect on the Bible’s questions, we can begin with the first question mentioned in its pages: “Where are you?” (Genesis 3.9). To provide context, Adam and Eve had consumed the forbidden fruit. God came to them in the cool of the day. When the guilty couple heard God, they hid because they felt the weight of their sin. Even though God knew where Adam and Eve were, He still posed our question. So, what is its purpose?
From a literary perspective, this question is a masterstroke, injecting tension and driving the narrative forward. God’s question sparks a dialogue that redefines the dynamics between humans and their Creator and among humans. The Bible is not just a compilation of stories but a source of divine inspiration that can profoundly impact and transform lives.
We can see that God is asking a rhetorical question to benefit Adam and Eve rather than himself. God is not seeking information but rather prompting Adam to consider his actions and their consequences. God intends for the question to prompt introspection, guiding Adam (and Eve) to contemplate their present circumstances, encompassing both their physical concealment and spiritual transgression. The question is rhetorical because it aims to highlight the rupture in Adam and Eve’s relationship with God resulting from their sin. The rhetorical question extends beyond its immediate context for contemporary readers, encouraging them to examine their lives and relationships with God. It serves as a timeless prompt for introspection and spiritual reflection.
God’s question is also a powerful pedagogical tool because it encourages self-examination, promotes accountability, facilitates dialogue, illustrates consequences, invites reflection, and employs inquiry-based learning. These elements make it an effective means of teaching important spiritual and moral lessons.
However, this inquiry was also an invitation for Adam to confess his sin, seek reconciliation, and demonstrate humility. If Adam had confessed right away, he would have shown a willingness to be honest and accept responsibility for his actions. This act of repentance could have demonstrated his humility and willingness to admit his mistake as soon as he realized it. While the fundamental consequences of sin, such as the curse and expulsion from Eden, may still apply, Adam’s prompt confession could have led to a more compassionate handling of those consequences, with mercy outweighing justice.
This question holds significant relevance for modern-day readers. Throughout history, God has consistently asked, “Where are you?” in a spiritual context, encouraging individuals to reflect on their spiritual condition. This inquiry urges us to reflect on our connection with God and our moral compass. Therefore, it serves as a metaphor for self-awareness in both spiritual and ethical aspects. Note the theological implications:
Self-awareness and Spiritual Condition: Theologically, “knowing where you are” frequently refers to understanding your current spiritual state. This includes recognizing your relationship with God, your moral standing, and areas where you may fall short of divine expectations.
Repentance and growth: We recognize that the first step toward spiritual growth and repentance is acknowledging one’s spiritual state. One must identify their separation from God before embarking on the journey back.
Accountability: Being aware of one’s spiritual state promotes personal responsibility. When one knows where one stands spiritually, ignoring or justifying behaviors contradicting one’s faith is more difficult.
Humility: Recognizing where you truly stand concerning God and His standards can help you cultivate humility, which God regards as a critical virtue.
Divine-human relationship: Recognizing your spiritual position can deepen your connection with the divine, leading to heartfelt prayer, genuine worship, and a clearer realization of your dependence on God.
Discernment: Knowing your spiritual state can help you understand God’s will and make faith-based decisions.
Eschatological preparation: Understanding your spiritual standing is crucial for preparing for death, judgment, and humanity’s ultimate destiny.
Authenticity in faith: Self-awareness promotes a more genuine faith experience, rather than just going through religious motions without real engagement.
Appreciation of grace: Understanding one’s true spiritual condition can lead to a greater appreciation for divine grace by recognizing the gap between where one is and where God calls one to be.
The theological concept of “knowing where you are” is often linked to practices such as self-examination, confession, and spiritual direction, illustrating its practical applications. We see it as an ongoing process, not a one-time realization, promoting continuous spiritual growth and faith.
In conclusion, God’s profound inquiry, “Where are you?” echoes throughout history, surpassing its Genesis roots and retaining relevance for spiritual self-examination. This inquiry is a poignant prompt for spiritual self-examination, accountability, and personal growth. It prompts us to contemplate our relationship with God, assess our moral integrity, and consider our place in the broader faith narrative. In our spiritual path, God perpetually calls us to respond to this inquiry verbally and through our deeds. Consistent self-reflection leads to deeper understanding, authentic faith, and transformative grace, nurturing spiritual growth. Ultimately, God’s question encourages us to engage in a conversation that can lead to reconciliation, spiritual development, and a deeper connection with the divine. Amid modern life’s intricacies, let’s take a moment to reflect: where are we positioned on our spiritual path, and how will we respond to this enduring call?
This was far and away the most preached text I heard in chapel with the preacher students at the Bear Valley Bible Institute. Students, teachers, and visiting speakers would often turn to this passage, and with good reason. It distills the life and work of a preacher as well as any paragraph in the biblical text. It is the charge of a condemned man, a baton being passed to a younger man to keep running with the urgent message of the gospel. To do so, Paul spotlights this all-important message.
He mentions…
The Master of our message (1). Timothy appeals to the highest authority, God and Christ Jesus. He reminds him of three future, related events, all brought to pass by Jesus, that should motivate him to share the message. First, there’s the judgment at which time He will judge the living and the dead (cf. Acts 10:42; 1 Pet. 4:5). Second, there’s His appearing, which Scripture indicates as a precursor to the judgment (John 5:28-29; Rev. 1:7). In fact, Paul uses this language in the first letter (1 Tim. 6:14). There, Timothy was to keep up the good fight of faith, including “the good confession,” “until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Third, there’s His kingdom. Here, this appears to refer to His reign and rule, which will be universally recognized and believed at His coming (Phil. 2:10-11; “If we endure, we will also reign with Him,” 2:12). This is a three-pronged reminder to Timothy about the author and the finisher of that charge to “preach the word.”
The meat of our message (2). And, “the word” is the meat of that message. It’s the standard of sound words (1:13), “the word of God” (2:9), the trustworthy statement (2:11), “the word of truth” (2:15), and “our teaching” (4:15). It is not that gangrenous talk, like Hymenaeus and Philetus spouted (2:17). While it is tempting to appeal to human wisdom, popular philosophy, a sin-validating compromise (as is described in the next two verses), the only thing that will prepare people for the appearing of the King to judge the world is “the word.”
The manner of our message (2b). Are their guardrails for how to present the word? First, their must be mental preparation. Timothy is to be “ready,” which includes fixing his mind to and being attentive to the task–whether convenient or unfavorable (Paul says “εὐκαίρως ἀκαίρως”–EUKAIROS AKAIROS). The idea is whether with or without support, approval, or appreciation. Second, their must be tactical flexibility. Different occasions and challenges call for different styles. Sometimes, one must support their message with proof, evidence, and arguments to convince a doubting hearer. Sometimes, one must support their message with correction, command, and conviction to convince a hard-hearted hearer. Sometimes, one must support their message with encouragement, consolation, and comfort to comfort a struggling hearer. Third, their must be practical wisdom. Whatever approach one uses to support his message, it all must be done with self-restraint and with the goal of achieving the goal of instilling the word in the hearts of the hearers. This text harmonizes well with something Paul says early in his first letter: “But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1 Tim. 1:5). If we keep our motives and moral integrity right, our manner will be, too.
The menace of our message (3-4). The basic challenge to preaching the pure word is some alternative message which appeals to the passions and desires of the hearers’ flesh. Paul warns of challenging times ahead when people will have a low threshold of pain for the truth, favoring fables instead. They will not endure, they will accumulate their own teachers, they will turn away from truth, and will wander after myths (3-4). While the deadly alternatives may change names and characteristics over time, it is a timeless concern. It amounts to an easier, self-serving, but destructive message.
The ministry of our message (5). Timothy’s work extended well beyond just lesson preparation. It involved mental preparation (“sober-minded”), practical endurance (“endure suffering”), soul-winning (“do the work of an evangelist”), and service (“fulfill your ministry”). What can penetrate hard hearts and reach struggling hearts? A man whose ministry supports and validates his message, who shows as well as says, and whose didactics is demonstrated by his deeds. Whether we are talking about men whose lives and livelihood revolve full-time around preaching or Christians who are striving to fulfill the Great Commission, character matters. We are to be what we tell others to be.
The meaning behind our message (6-8). Our message may impact our social lives, our mental health, our physical well-being, and our emotional stability, but it is first and foremost about preparing our souls for eternity. God’s Word has as its ultimate design getting us to heaven. Paul, the messenger, had gotten himself ready for eternity (6-8a). Yet, “all who love [Christ’s] appearing” would enjoy the same eternal fate! We share the word of God to prepare people for judgment and to fit everyone we can for “the crown of righteousness.” No effort or enterprise can compare with helping someone to be saved when Christ appears.
As we cultivate relationships, mentoring and training people for various purposes, developing friendships, and building our homes, everything must be driven by our God-given message. His Word is what it all is about! We must faithfully live it and declare it, “in season and out of season!”
Far too often we believe (or act) as though once we pray about something, we don’t have to do anything more. It’s almost as if we see devotion to God and helping others as being mutually exclusive. We will pray for someone who is hurting, sick, or hungry and then do nothing more. Jesus prayed often, for long periods of time, but He was never passive. He didn’t separate faith from action. Jesus would pray, then heal. He believed, then acted. He would preach, then live what He taught.
Why do we think it would be any different?
Could it be that we are the answer to our prayers more often than we realize? Maybe we are the ones to comfort those who are mourning. Maybe we are the ones who are supposed to feed the hungry. Maybe we are the ones who need to study with the lost.
It’s important we pray for others, but we cannot be passive and expect our prayers to be answered.
Jesus warned against being passive.
In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus is teaching about the final judgment we will all face in the end.
Notice how Jesus rejects those who aren’t concerned for the physical well-being of others. He will have nothing to do with Christians who fail to have an active prayer life. Verses 33-40 say, “And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”
A prayer by itself won’t clothe someone.
Prayer by itself won’t fill an empty stomach
A prayer with no action will never give someone a drink. Jesus accepts those who DO SOMETHING. Prayer should open our eyes to the needs of those around us. If we have a say in the matter, if we have the ability to change someone’s circumstances WE ARE THE ANSWER TO OUR PRAYERS.
Then, in verses 41-46, Jesus says, “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”“
Jesus will reject a spirituality that is not concerned for the tangible needs of those around us. People matter to God, so much so that our eternity depends on how we care for anyone we may meet. Don’t get me wrong, God expects us to pray for others (Jesus’ example of prayer included praying for our enemies and those we love), but He also expects us to be His hands and feet.
James 2:14-17 says, “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
Unfortunately, we often use prayer as a substitute for action. In fact, it sounds so spiritual to say that we will pray about it; but highly hypocritical to have the tools and resources to do something about it but not act. Wives, how would you feel if you went to your husbands and asked them to put together that piece of furniture you bought from the store and they answered by saying, “I’ll be praying about it.” Maybe you need the oil changed on your car and they say, “I’ll definitely be praying that gets taken care of.” How frustrating would that be?
At some point our prayers should open our eyes to the works we should be doing!
Like Jesus, we should pray as though it all depended on God, but act responsibly and obediently as though it all depended on us.
He prayed over big decisions, then did something. In His prayers, He was never passive. We would do well to imitate His example!
What can help a Christian cope with “times of difficulty” (1)? How can one who desires to live a godly life in Christ deal with the reality that he “will be persecuted” (12)? How do we survive when surrounded by “evil people and impostors” proceeding “from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (13)? Paul gives at least three weapons to wage this spiritual warfare.
Follow the right role models (10-11). Contrasted with the “lovers of self” who give in to just about any sin imaginable, Paul tells Timothy, “You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me….” While Paul headlines this list with his teaching, equally important was how he put that teaching into practice. It was on display for Timothy to see and imitate. This includes his behavior, his goals, the source of his confidence, his character, and his endurance. Every aspect of Paul’s life was open for inspection, and Paul is not afraid for it to be examined. He had earlier encouraged Paul to be an example (1 Tim. 4:12), and he exemplified the exemplary life to this young man (cf. 2:2). When surrounded by so many worldly examples, we need a living pattern of righteous individuals set on serving God however difficult. My life has been blessed by godly men and women who have taught me that you don’t have to conform to worldly thinking and living, who are faithful even when faced with personal trials, obvious temptations, and even persecution. My aim should be to be that for those watching my own life.
Trust the Lord’s power to rescue (11-13). Incredibly, this chained dungeon dweller who likely was swept up as part of a reprisal by Nero for the catastrophic fire on July 18, 64 AD, could look back at the past and say, “from them all the Lord rescued me” (11). That’s the past, but what about this grim future? Some of his last words are, “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom” (4:18). History suggests that Paul, Peter, and as many as 900 other Christians were rounded up and summarily executed as scapegoats for the fire. It seems Paul senses the imminence of that action as we read chapter four. So, the rescue he had experienced was physical and spiritual, and the rescue he anticipated was spiritual and eternal. The longer we live in Christ, the more aware we are that the spiritual and eternal rescues are the only ones that ultimately matter. Persecution may stand between us and that (12), but we can trust the Lord’s power to rescue.
Continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed (14-17). Note the contrastive conjunction. Your translation has “but” (14), and here it serves an adversative function. In other words, it is setting a dramatic contrast between these evil impostors and Timothy. We see what fate awaits them due to their rejection of truth, “but as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it” (14). Unlike the lovers of self, the always learning and never able to come to the truth, the evil men who deceive and are deceived, Timothy had a rock-solid spiritual foundation. It began with the biblical home training Timothy had since childhood (15), producing a wisdom leading to salvation in Christ. It was the God-breathed Scripture itself, profiting him, making him complete, and equipping him for every good work (16-17). If he remained ensconced and growing in that, his faith would survive every trial.
Knowing about Paul’s chains and having seen Paul abused, Timothy was naturally afraid and potentially ashamed (ch. 1). So, Paul helps him focus on resources that would help him conquer both. Look at God, His ambassadors, and His perfect Word. These are formidable enough to overcome any challenge we face!
Many substances give a temporary feeling of euphoria/well-being while harming the cells and systems of our bodies. Some of them don’t alter our state of consciousness (refined sugar, salt, tobacco products), some of them do (alcohol, amphetamines, narcotics). Sin is the transcendent version of those things — it often makes us feel good for a little while, but always leads to death.
Sin is simultaneously opposed to law (I Jn 3) and uses law to kill us (Rom 6-8). This is a very confusing dynamic at first, but it all comes down to the heart. Paul says that a heart set on God is going to sin, but not because it wants to. It’s because sin uses our weakness compared to the standard of God’s law to trip us up. John says that we’ll always have sin, and that not all sins lead to eternal death. What John and Paul both agree on is this — we are totally powerless by ourselves, but God’s grace covers our mistakes.
Sin is also a relentless, enslaving force. Few passages more clearly demonstrate this than Romans 6-8. This discourse seems almost contradictory at several points, but I believe this is by design. There is a constant tension between gratitude for grace and recognition of our own sinful nature. I believe this is stated the way it is to keep us in the proper mindset. On the one hand, we have God’s grace and that covers our sins. On the other, we don’t want to run too far with it and fall from grace. This section details a struggle within each Christian to serve God only, while our bodies furiously pull us towards sinful actions and thoughts. Paul’s conclusion at the end is two-fold: Wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from this body that only brings me death and There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
The section of the letter that has ultimately been delineated as “chapter three” has two distinct parts. We might label the first part as “the problem” and the second part as “the solution.” Paul paints a pretty grim picture of what he describes as “times of difficulty” coming “in the last days” (1). While we may infer from Paul’s words that he is giving Timothy warning about an imminent return of Christ, we should remember that “in the New Testament the phrase refers to that entire time from the completion of Christ’s redemptive work until his return” (Lea and Griffin, NAC, 223). Peter quotes Joel 2:28-32 and applies it to the Christian Age. Note the plural “times,” and a historical retrospect reveals that there have been many times of difficulty since the first century.
As those who seem to be living through one of these “times of difficulty,” we benefit from looking more closely at Paul’s warning to Timothy.
The inevitability of these times (1). Paul wants Timothy to “understand” these times “will come.” Some will fall away from the faith (1 Tim. 4:1). They will not endure sound doctrine (2 Tim. 4:3). In each case, they exchange God’s truth for something they find more attractive. It is something that appeals to the flesh and appears to be a path of less resistance. Since the tendency to follow such a direction is always present, these times are going to repeatedly infiltrate cultures and societies.
The evidence of these times (2-8). How can we identify these difficult times? Paul gives nineteen characteristic traits! This is reminiscent of the Gentile transgressions of Romans 1:18-32, the lusts of the flesh (Gal. 5:19-21), the “former manner of life” (Eph. 4:25-32), and the “things that are on the earth” (Col. 3:5-9).
The seeming key to the entire list is the first mark mentioned by Paul. When one goes from being a “lover of God” (4) to being a lover of self (2), any behavior is possible. These sins range from love of pleasure (4) to hatred of others (2-3), not loving good (3) to being religious pretenders (5). There are guilty predators and guilty prey (6). Some of these sins involve aggression and attitude, but others self-indulgence. Taken together, they are mindsets, behaviors, and desires that are at odds with divine truth. To this end, Paul illustrates with two figures that Jewish tradition tell us were Egyptian sorcerers who opposed Moses’ power with their magic (cf. Ex. 7:11; we read of them by name in Targum Ps.-Jonathan 1.3; 7.2; in Pliny, Natural History, 30.1.11 so that “Paul’s reference to them would have presented no problem for the church at Ephesus…. Even though the names do not occur in the OT text, there is no reason to doubt the reliability of the Jewish tradition,” Knight, NIGTC, 435). Their root problem was the root problem of these “lovers of self,” being “men corrupted in mind” (8).
Our world is consumed with a spirit of self-love in the sense that mankind is fueled by the desires of the flesh and mind (Eph. 2:3), crowding out what God commands and desires for us. When the creation acts contrary to the design of their creator, how could the times be anything other than difficult? We cannot change the entire world, but we can start by examining ourselves and helping others find God’s way–something Paul will discuss with Timothy next.
The outcome of these times (8-9). It may seem like those submitting to love of self are prevailing, but Paul understands how this will turn out. He tells Timothy, “Avoid such people” (5). Why? First, their futility (7). They are always learning and never able to come to the truth. How like much of academia today, ever in research and never in resolution. Second, their ineligibility (8). By opposing the truth, one disqualifies themselves from all that God wants to give a person. Third, their debility (9). They will not make ultimate progress. The rotten fruit of self-driven desires will ultimately be seen by all, as it was with Jannes and Jombres. That may happen in this life, but even if it doesn’t it will be evident at the final judgment (1 Tim. 5:24-25).
Sennacherib is on a campaign to control all routes across the Syrian Desert leading to the Mediterranean Sea. Assyria had already carried the Northern Kingdom of Israel off into captivity and invaded the southern kingdom of Judah.
Jerusalem is now under threat of attack and king Hezekiah sends his servants to the prophet Isaiah to ask for prayers on behalf of the people. Yahweh, through Isaiah, tells the people to not be afraid. For as unlikely as it seemed to the surrounded inhabitants of Jerusalem, their salvation would come in the middle of the night.
“That night the angel of the LORD went out to the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. When the surviving Assyrians woke up the next morning, they found corpses everywhere” (2 Kings 19.35).
Sennacherib Cylinder Evidence:
Sennacherib left behind a record of his campaign against Judea and it can still be seen in the British Museum today.
Here’s a translation of his inscription,
“As to Hezekiah, the Jew, he did not submit to my yoke. I laid siege to 46 of his strong cities, walled forts, and to the countless small villages in their vicinity. I drove out of them 200,150 people, young and old, male and female, horses, mules, donkeys, camels, big and small cattle beyond counting and considered [them] spoils. Himself I made a prisoner in Jerusalem, his royal residence, like a bird in a cage.”
Sennacherib claims he conquered all of Judea except Jerusalem. He also claims that he surrounded the city of Jerusalem with his army, and trapped Hezekiah “like a bird in a cage.”
Curiously, that’s where he chose to end the story. To continue any further would mean to either fabricate or include a loss of such magnitude that it would tarnish the reputation of a proud Assyrian king.
The type of worker mentioned in this paragraph of the letter is not manual labor, but rather labor in God’s Word (15). Paul urges Timothy to do his best to be a workman not ashamed of his efforts, “rightly handling the word of truth.” To that end, Paul reveals impediments which hurt this goal and instructions for how to hit this goal.
What does “bad work” look like? First, it is quarreling about words (14; cf. 23-24). They fight about “small points of interpretation” (Larson, Vol. 9, Holman, 286). ” They spend a lot of time talking and arguing about the Christian faith instead of living it” (Williams, 56). Second, it is irreverent babbling (16; “worldly empty chatter”). This would be doctrine that has no legitimate substance or value. It may also be expressed as “worthless (or, silly) discussions that show no reverence for God” (Arichea and Hatton, UBS, 207; cf. 1 Tim. 6:20). Third, it is “foolish, ignorant controversies” (23). As with irreverent babbling, Paul had warned Timothy about this in the first letter (6:4). Thomas Lea and Hayne Griffin say, “Paul was not prohibiting intelligent, probing theological discussion but useless wrangling over recondite questions that divide and confuse. We must cultivate a judgment that can distinguish between these options” (NAC, 220). Do we ever see quarreling, babbling, and controversy? We can always find it in the culture, as evidenced in our favorite news media outlets. We also find it with hobby-horse riding teachers, majoring in the minors and forever talking about their “same old, same old.”
What does “bad work” do? Paul gives several answers to this. First, it does no good, but ruins the hearers (14). Second, it leads people into more and more ungodliness (16). Third, it upsets the faith of some (18). Fourth, it breeds quarrels (23). Jesus had taught in the Sermon on the Mount that we will know teachers by the fruit they produce (Mat. 7:15-20). Shoddy, superficial, and self-serving study is spiritually sickening for its students!
How does one become a “God-approved worker”? The short answer is “rightly handling the word of truth” (15). Such a one stands on God’s firm foundation (19). Such a one is a “vessel for honorable use” (20-21). Such a one guards his character by fleeing youthful passions and pursuing the things that characterize a pure heart (22). Such a one avoids the seedy approach of the “bad workers” already discussed (23). The epitome of such a worker is found in the last words of this paragraph: “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will” (24-26). Handling the word properly is not only a matter of study, which is vital, but is also a matter of demeanor and attitude. A man who intimately knows the word (“able to teach”) should be kind, patient, and gentle.
You see a harsh, impatient, and mean-spirited teacher of Scripture, and what you have before you is disapproved by God and is a destructive worker. Paul wants Timothy convicted of the importance of internalizing the word, then aptly demonstrating it in his life. What a challenge to any of us who teach, preach, and seek to fulfill the Great Commission in our daily lives!
I never cease to be amazed at the generosity of some people. Their capacity and faith for giving seems endless, yet their cheerfulness under such circumstances defies the understanding of man. While I have known so many generous people, I am humbled by my parents. Living on a very limited income for most of their adult lives, starting the life in preaching back in the mid-1960s, they have constantly poured out from that limited reserve abundantly upon others. I cannot count the number of poor families for whom they have bought a week’s worth of groceries. They often spent whatever Christmas bonus they received plus so much more, buying gifts for members. They have lent assistance to needy family and church members. They refused raises, asking instead that the increase go to support a missionary. That continues in their modest retirement years.
This is on top of their regular contribution. I could write pages of material, giving specific examples of extraordinary good they have done with relatively little. The question that dominates my thinking is, “How have they developed such a giving spirit?” The answer that recently hit me is “relationship.”
They have a proper relationship with people. It takes a servant’s heart, a heart which acts in love and concern for one’s fellowman, to so generously give. When we see our task as helping people however we can, we will give. We will give each Sunday, and we will find ways to give in our private opportunities.
They have a proper relationship with money. What grace it requires to see money as a tool and a servant, a commodity used to live but also to give. Hoarders hurt, but sharers shine. Frivolity is sinful. Generosity is a grace. They, like Paul, have known abundance, though more often they have suffered want (Phil. 4:10ff). Whichever lot was theirs at the time, they seemed just as joyful and full of peace. They are savers, but they are also givers. They live well within their means, but they give well beyond their ability (2 Cor. 8:1ff).
They have a proper relationship with God. Their sentiment is like one I once heard expressed by a gospel preacher. He said, “God will always give us the exact amount of money we need.” If we trust that the God who made us and remade us through Christ is control of it all, we know He will supply all our needs (Phil. 4:19). If we see ourselves as His stewards (managers, 1 Cor. 4:2), we will happily serve as a conduit of generosity.
God has not caused their generosity to impoverish them. To the contrary, they live as close to debt-free as people can in our society. God has blessed them with things that man would find impossible to believe they could own in the wake of such bountiful benevolence and generous giving. What a lesson they serve to all of us to understand the relationships of generosity.
Thanks, Dad and Mom.
Gary and Brenda Pollard will celebrate their 60th Anniversary this Friday (6/21/24)
The Preacher Pollard Blog 