Praying Like Christ

Carl Pollard

Very clearly seen in His ministry, Jesus believed that prayer worked. He realized the effectiveness and power of prayer. Because of this, He had an intimate relationship with the Father. Before He came to this earth, He was close to the Father. He refused to let His flesh separate Him from God. He had a desire to spend time with the Father. 

Sometimes, our motivation to pray is put out because we doubt that our prayers will work or make a difference. I for one have gone through periods of time where I failed to pray as I should, solely because of doubt. 

This is straight from the mouth of Satan. What better way to weaken our faith than to place doubt in our minds in the Creator to which we pray through the Son? 

What happens is we get this view of prayer that its all about the prayer requests. Not that it’s wrong to ask God for help, or pray for the sick, but all too often we see prayer as a help wanted billboard. We miss the point of prayer if this is all we see it as! Prayer is about talking with our Father, building and maintaining our relationship with our Savior! 

How close would you be to your physical father if the only reason you called him and talked to him was to ask for favors? Prayer is all about connection. If we reduce prayer to nothing more than asking for things, we have failed to pray like Christ. 

Making requests is one of the many needed aspects of prayer. It is true that Jesus spoke confidently to God, and requested things. 

God is more than willing to answer His obedient children. James tells us that the prayer of a righteous man is effective. Jesus believed and acted on the confidence that God would answer or hear His prayers. We need to understand the heart and mind of Christ if we are to imitate His prayer life. 

Jesus Was Not Passive. 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 wellbeing of others. He will have nothing to do with Christian’s who fail to have an active prayer life (33-40). 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. 

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, “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.

Deuteronomy: The Second Giving Of The Law (VIII)

Warnings And Promises (7:1-26)

Neal Pollard

The previous chapter contains two truths expressed by Jesus when confronted by the devil–“don’t test God” (6:16; Matt. 4:7) and “worship only God” (6:13; Matt. 4:10). These are typical of the warnings and admonitions filling this fifth book of the Bible. In the 26 verses of this chapter, you encounter the phrase “you shall” sixteen (16) times! Most of these contain warnings about actions that would do them spiritual harm. You also see the word “will” used as a promise some 21 times, all but one of these stated as a hoped-for blessing God pledges to fulfill as they obey Him.

James Smith summarizes this chapter as being what Israel would need to remember in Canaan: (1) who the enemy was (1-5), (2) what her identity was (6-8), (3) who her God was (9-11), (4) what the key to blessing was (12-16), (5) the power of God (17-21), (6) what the plan of God was (22-24), and (7) what the command of God was concerning pagan images (25-26)(498). All of these forewarnings would have relevance and application during the conquest and the days that followed it.  Let us adapt his points of identification in analyzing chapter seven. 

They must destroy the indigenous inhabitants to possess the land (1-5).  It is widely thought that listing seven nations was the inspired Moses’ way of speaking of totality or completeness. We will encounter additional peoples in the book of Joshua. According to Numbers 26, Israel’s army numbered 601,730 at the end of the wandering period. Whatever the population of Canaan was, it was larger than this (1). God warns them not to try and peacefully coexist with them. As those who did not fear God, the natives would draw them away from Him and this would be their undoing! God promised to defeat these people for Israel, and God did not want them being pulled down into sin by any type of associations.

They must embrace why they were special (6-8). True, they were God’s chosen. But it was not because of anything within themselves that made them better than the Canaanites. God says that their specialness was due to God’s initiating His choice to love, deliver, and protect them because of His character and His overarching plan. They did not deserve His love or their special status. How powerfully this illustrates the truth today for Christians in the midst of this world. We are indeed special (1 Pet. 2:5,9), not because of ourselves but because of His grace. 

They must grasp the greatness of their God (9-11). Moses lists several pertinent attributes of God that would aid the Israelites in their pending battles. God is unique, faithful, trustworthy, merciful, just, and sovereign. All of this would work in their favor if they obeyed Him, as Moses is about to explain. 

They must claim the blessings and promises God would give (12-16). As they listened to, kept, and did these things He commanded that were right, they would experience the fountain of blessings from God’s hand–love, blessings, proliferation, material blessings, health, and deliverance. Though these promises would often make them arrogant, that was an unfortunate misinterpretation of God’s goodness. He blessed them so that, in gratitude, they would serve Him. God’s blessings are not meant to be merely consumed in self-service, but used in the service of God and others (see the Macedonians in 2 Cor. 8). 

They must fear God and not the world (17-21). Moses urges them not to be like their faithless parents, too fearful to conquer these enemies. They were to measure their greatness against the greatness of God. Seeing this way, they would perceive that it was no content. Only God is great and awesome (21)! 

They must trust God’s perfect plan (22-24). He had been involved in the gradual clearing of these natives, and by so doing He was preserving the land and making the inhabiting of it more favorable for Israel. Yet, He would also so thoroughly defeat them that they and all others would know that there’s no God like Jehovah! Because of Him, “no man will be able to stand before you until you have destroyed them” (24)!

They must keep themselves pure (25-26). God looks back to the original giving of the ten commandments and focuses on the danger of coveting the idols of the people. However it attracted them, they must be clearheaded about it. These things were snares and abominations to be detested and abhorred. 

At the heart of this was God’s divine directions for how to interact with the world. Jesus would transform our mission among the lost, that we conquer them with the cross and subdue them with the security of salvation. Yet, now as then, we are to be transformed and not conformed to the world (Rom. 12:1-2). We must overcome them with God’s love, not be overcome by the influence of worldliness (Js. 4:4; 1 Jn. 2:15-17). Why? Among many reasons is the greatness of God and the gift of God’s love. Nothing can compare to that. 

Happiness Is Fleeting

Gary Pollard

I listen to weird music, that’s a necessary admission before sharing the content of this article. One of the artists in my rotation is Akira the Don, who takes the speeches of prominent thinkers and puts them to music. My favorite in this rotation is a condensed speech by Jordan Peterson called “Happiness is Fleeting.” Normally I wouldn’t share something so secular (and will not make a habit of doing so in this medium), but these words have obvious parallels to scriptural principles, namely resilience in suffering and modeling Christ to the world. It’s so well-worded that — at least in my view — it warrants sharing. 

“That place where the meaning and the fact are conjoined, that’s the proper place to lecture from. What you want to do as an academic is tell your students about something that you’ve encountered that you’ve fallen in love with, and to communicate the love that you have for that. Not to say, ‘Well, you should read this book.’ But to say, ‘Here’s this book, and here’s what it can open up for you, and this is how it does it. This is what you will gain from it.’ 

“There’s something in it that’s of unbelievable utility, and you have to believe that in order to communicate it, to communicate that commitment you have to beauty and to truth and to literature. It isn’t enough to say what they are and to transmit them. It’s to manifest yourself as a living part of that tradition, and to show yourself thereby as a model for living out what that tradition represents, and to show that that’s so much better than a short-term-pleasure-seeking-nihilism. They’re not even in the same conceptual universe. 

“And people are far more open to that, they know already. People know, especially when they’re hurt, they know that happiness is fleeting and that suffering requires a sustaining meaning. … And so to say, well here’s a balm for the suffering, and it’s profound and deep, and here’s what it’s meant to me, and here’s how you can incorporate it into your life — people are absolutely starving for that, or dying of thirst for that.”

Deuteronomy: The Second Giving Of The Law (VII)

The Blessings Of Obedience (6:1-25)

Neal Pollard

After reviewing the ten commandments with the people, Moses proceeds to tell them why obeying them was so important to their lives and future. He does so with prepositions and conjunctions (translated eight times in the chapter as “that”). He does so with motivations for themselves and their descendants. Altogether, his words are meant to encourage the people to keep the Law for their own good and prosperity. Consider the blessings Moses attaches to obedience.

The Fear Of The Lord (1-2,12-16,24). Moses returns to this theme three times during this chapter. The fear of the Lord would spur on their obedience (2), keep Him as the sole object of their worship (12), and ensure their good and survival (24). This takes in reverence, but also an appreciation for the dread and terror that comes in failing to obey. Yet, Scripture lists so many blessings that follow the fear of the Lord–knowledge (Prov. 1:7), wisdom (Prov. 9:10), life (Prov. 10:27), strong confidence (Prov. 14:26), spiritual treasure (Isa. 33:6), spiritual growth (Acts 9:31), and persuasion (2 Cor. 5:11). 

Wellness (3). For Israel, this wellness is primarily physical. But God lavished those physical blessings on them so that they would understand their source and serve and glorify Him. Contextually, being well is equated with inhabiting the land flowing with milk and honey. Think about how under Christ, that is magnified and improved. He gives us gifts to use for His cause, promising us a dwelling place far greater (John 14:1-5; 1 Th. 4:13-18). 

An Intimate Relationship With God (4-9). On one of our trips to Israel, Kathy and I bought “Shema rings” which we wear every day. We have had a mezuzah, purchased over there, fixed to the door casing of our house, too. It also contains verses from the Shema. But more important than wearing or seeing Deuteronomy 6:4-9 is securing it in our hearts. God through Moses urges the people to wholeheartedly love Him, keep His word within them, and constantly share Him and His word with their children. By this, they would bond themselves to Him. Notice how it begins with love and the heart. When these are engaged, obedience becomes far easier. 

Unmerited Favor (10-11). Building on the last blessing, their obedience would lead them to blessings they did not earn or deserve. Moses enumerates them–land, cities, houses, contents, cisterns, vineyards, and food. While He has certainly blessed us in like manner (Acts 14:17), He has given us infinitely more through Christ. Grace, God’s unmerited favor, opens the door to all spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:1-8).

Divine Assistance (17-23). Notice that this blessing begins with phrases like “you shall” (18, 21) and “you should” (17). They had a part to play, that part being obedience. Yet, doing good and right in God’s sight (18) would lead Him to drive out their enemies and deliver them (19,22). As we trust and obey, God will help us with everything we attempt that honors Him and is in harmony with His will. 

Righteousness (25). In summation, Moses says, “It will be righteousness for us if we are careful to observe all this commandment before the Lord our God, just as He commanded us.” Harold Stigers writes, “The covenant requires obedience to God by the nation and is the way of his people (Ps 1:1–6; Deut 6:25), a way of righteousness. God is righteous, under the covenant, when he delivers his people from trouble” (TWOT, 754). God opens the way of life and preservation when we carefully observe what He commands. Jesus will echo this idea in the Sermon on the Mount as He emphasizes true righteousness (Matt. 5:20; 7:13-14). 

The covenant contained in this Law was for the good of Israel. It is summarized in the very first three verses of Psalms: ” How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers” (1:1-3). God blesses the obedient, then and now! 

Wisdom Taught By A Fool

Dale Pollard

In the ancient past, being called a fool held a lot of negative weight and it wasn’t something that was taken lightly. Today we may jokingly use the term, but not back then. It was both an insult and the description of someone you certainly didn’t want to identify with. So what would qualify someone as a real fool? Biblically, this is the one who lacks spiritual wisdom and tends to have an embarrassing lack of common sense. 

There’s a healthy emphasis placed on the fool throughout the Psalms and Proverbs and as you’d expect his time in the spotlight is far from flattering. He’s often used as a sharp contrast to a wise and intelligent person. Some of these passages concerning the fool may sting in a personal kind of way as they reflect our own occasional actions or inclinations. 

Perhaps the most impactful bit of wisdom taught to us by the fool is that our words don’t always reflect our beliefs, but our repetitive actions do. Psalm 14 begins by stating, “the fool has said in his heart ‘there is no God.’” Not all fools are atheists, but all atheists are fools even though the bulk of society doesn’t seem to agree. Today, atheistic minds that fill the roles of teachers, scientists, and authors are held in high regard. To some they are declared the brains of society or dubbed the pioneers of the future. 

Evolutionary doctrine may dominate classrooms and laboratories, but God calls them foolish. He doesn’t see them as “progressive” or “admirable” and that’s because they’ve missed something (or Someone) obviously crucial. To deny the existence of a God you’re surrounded by, alive because of, and will ultimately be judged by— is to lack sense. 

DEUTERONOMY: THE SECOND GIVING OF THE LAW (VI)

The Ten Commandments (5:1-33)

Neal Pollard

Having reviewed the last forty years of wandering, Moses takes them back to Mt. Sinai (here, he identifies Horeb in verse 2). He is going to review the Ten Commandments and help them grasp its importance to them as they go forward. He wants them to hear, learn, and observe (1). The ears, mind, and hands all would need to be involved in receiving the law. 

The background to the giving of the law (1-5).  The focus is decidedly on “the Lord” (verses 2-4 begin by referencing Him, and He is mentioned 24 times in the chapter). He made a covenant with these people and spoke to them in dramatic fashion. They were afraid because of the divine fireworks while Moses was receiving this law up on Sinai. 

The content of the law (6-21). Moses reiterates what is first recorded in Exodus 20 and was first shared with the fallen generation, the parents of these listeners. In addition to restating the decalogue:

  • You shall have no other gods before me (7).
  • You shall not make for yourselves an idol (8-10).
  • You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain (11). 
  • Observe the sabbath day to keep it holy (12-15).
  • Honore your father and mother (16). 
  • You shall not murder (17).
  • You shall not commit adultery (18).
  • You shall not steal (19).
  • You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor (20).
  • You shall not covet… (21),

Moses gives reasons why. There was God’s deliverance (6). There’s God’s perfect jealousy and justice (9). There’s God’s perfect mercy (10). There’s God’s promise of punishment to the disobedient (11). There’s God’s sovereign commandments (12). There’s God’s deliverance (15). There’s God’s blessings (16). Woven into the fabric of the laws is the law-giver, just one of many examples of how God connects our relationship with Him to our relationship with His Word. In the New Testament, Jesus will continue this thought process when He says, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15).  

The response to the law (22-33). Given this connection, we are not surprised that the people are filled with awe (22-24), but even more than that dread (25). They asked Moses to intercede for them as God spoke (26-31). Yet, God wanted their unswerving loyalty and obedience to the law. He wanted them to depart neither to the left nor right (32). He wanted wholehearted obedience for their own good (33). 

God wanted them to remember where they had been, what He had communicated, and how they should react to His instructions. That is a helpful approach for us to make to Scripture today, looking back and letting it be our present and future guide. We cannot anticipate the specific challenges ahead, but we can know that wholehearted obedience will render the same result: “that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you will possess” (33). 

Kathy’s weekly reason to love the church (March 4)

52 Reasons to Love the Church

An Excellent Wife

Neal Pollard

The book of Proverbs ends, in chapter 31, with an investigation. The writer, whether Lemuel is making observations or passing along his mother’s sage guidance, leads the search. He writes how rare and valuable an excellent wife is (10). It is a literary masterpiece, an acrostic poem (each verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet) and a chiasm (“a rhetorical or literary figure in which words, grammatical constructions, or concepts are repeated in reverse order, in the same or modified form,” Apple Dictionary, 2.3.0). You would diagram the outline of the chiasm like this: A B C B A. The chiasm was a literary way to show the heart or focus of a specific section of Scripture. It would be readily identified by a Jewish reader, but it enriches our study when we understand that it’s intentionally there. The heart of this poem is verse 23: “Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land.” The net effect of the kind of wife described here is that it blesses her spouse’s life. That should be the goal of every married person, to raise others’ view of him or her through the righteous conduct of our life. What is the character of the wife described here?

  • She is prized and praiseworthy (10, 30-31).
  • Her husband and home are profited by and praise her (11-12, 28-29).
  • She is a hard worker (13-19, 27). 
  • She is generous with her material things and her wisdom (20, 26).
  • She is not ruled by worries and fears (21,25).
  • She dresses her children and house well and she dresses her character well (21-22, 24-25).

Some have used this poem to try and hold up a “Renaissance Woman,” an ideal so unrealistic that no woman could ever live up to her standard. These have had too narrow a view of the author’s purpose. He is trying to demonstrate the kind of approach that a wife, in this context, should take to her role and responsibility. She is careful about how she approaches the various duties of the home, which she rules and oversees. She adopts a wise, God-approved character. This leads her to bless all who are in various relationships with her. Husbands do well to approach their duties, character-development, and relationships in the same way. Society will be benefited from its members taking who they are and what they do more seriously. So will the church and the home. 

What a blessing to be married to an excellent wife! There is no substitute for this. How it makes the inevitable burdens of life easier to carry. Let us all strive to be excellent in the role(s) God has given to us! 

Deuteronomy: The Second Giving Of The Law (V)

The Power Of The Law (4:1-40)

Neal Pollard

In the New Testament, we are going to read about the superiority of the New Covenant over the Old (Heb. 8:6-10:18). But, even in touting the superiority of faith in Christ over the Law, Paul calls it holy (Rom. 7:12) and good (Rom. 7:16). It’s deficiency was in man’s shortcoming to fully keep it, not in the ordinances or statutes themselves. Yet, before Christ, they were kept in custody under the law (Gal. 3:23ff). Moses says, “listen to the statutes and the judgments which I am teaching you to perform, so that you may live and go in and take possession of the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you” (1). 

The Law Exhorts (1-14)

He begins by stating emphatically that this Law could not be altered either by addition or subtraction (2). Its benefit was in keeping it just as God gave it. This law was to govern and guide them in the new land they were about to take possession of. When they kept it, the people would see through their obedience what a special and loved people they were in the sight of God (6-8). The Law contained reminders of where they had been and what had happened in the past, both good and bad (9-14). Life and blessing would be the consequence of this revelation. It brought honor in the eyes of men and favor in the eyes of God. 

The Law Warns (15-31)

We see the warning in words and phrases like “watch yourselves carefully” (15,23) and “beware” (19). The warning here centered especially around them turning to something in substitution for their faithfulness to God. He is speaking more thoroughly here about the second commandment which he will restate as part of the second giving of the ten commandments in the next chapter (5:8-10). 

The basis of the warning is what it would do to them–it would be corrupting (16) and the source of their swift perishing (26). The warning is also because of what it would cause them to do–be drawn away and worship and serve them (19). Further, the warning is because of what God would do to them if they gave themselves over to it–scatter them among the nations and cause their numbers to be decimated (27). Moses reminds them, “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God” (24) and idolatry would provoke Him to anger (25). 

God did not want the relationship to be marked by threat and punishment. These are forewarnings, for their own spiritual good. Even if they fell prey to them but genuinely, wholeheartedly repented, God would restore them (29-30). The God who warns through His Word “is a compassionate God; He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them” (31). 

The Law Gives Relationship (32-40)

Thus, with the blessings and cursing of the Law set before them in brief, God reminds them of the unprecedented relationship He had entered with them. No one had ever known a relationship with their gods, much less the God of gods, as Israel would enjoy (32-36). The foundation of this relationship was love (37). It was proven by His sovereign choice (37). Because of this relationship, God would stand at the front of their armies and fight for them (38), and He would bless their children and grandchildren with life and land (40). He wants them to take this to heart (39) so that they would play their part in this special relationship (40).

The Law of Moses was to be their national, political, and spiritual governance. It would remind them of their past, reinforce them in their present, and reassure them of their prospects. It was the mind of God revealed, the way He wanted them to go and the ways He wanted them to avoid. As their maker and redeemer, He knew what was best for them and what would hurt them. Israel needed to trust that, so Moses takes the time to lay the groundwork for the retelling of the commandments. They needed this foundation. 

Firefighters And Word-Spreaders

Dave Steeves (photo credit: Holly Steeves)

Grant Wilson and I were in the Navy back in 1992, some 32 years ago. As Grant will tell you, it was a culture shock for both of us. A little more for Grant seeing as how it was his first time out of Smiths Grove. It would be an understatement to say we didn’t know what to expect when checking on board the ship; we were sure, however, that we would experience things that were new to us. I came on board the ship as an undesignated sailor, meaning that I didn’t have a particular job, I was just a member of the department that cared for the outside areas of the ship. The jobs were many but the most disliked was chipping paint, sanding, and painting. Standing the midnight watch in the pilothouse was a close second. It was also tasked to each sailor to be part of the ship’s firefighting team. This is a fact that I was aware of from the training we received in bootcamp, but didn’t fully understand what that would be like on board. You see, when we are out to sea there is no fire department to call, it’s just us in the middle of the ocean, often times hundreds of miles from shore or another ship for that matter. It’s up to us whether we sink or swim (quite literally).

  When we become Christians, we also have “jobs” that we may or may not like or be totally comfortable in doing. I for one, am uncomfortable getting up and speaking. But I know this helps me grow as a person and in my walk with Christ, I also am hopeful that it will be helpful for those that read this. We’ll never know the good we do until we get to the end of this life. But that doesn’t stop us from striving to have a closer walk with our Heavenly Father.

   In the parable of the sower we see that there are four different types of soil.

     Mark 4:3-9 it reads…….

”“Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”“

   We know that the different types of soil are indicators of the condition of the heart. It’s important to see here that the Bible is telling us that although we may not be aware of the condition of the hearers heart, we are still to share Gods word with those we come in contact with.

Mark 16:15 “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.“

  That verse does not tell us to be sure the people you’re speaking to are ready to hear the good news; it simply says to go and proclaim the word of God. The power of the good news does not lose its value or have its value diminished because the person listening isn’t ready to hear it. That is a very important lesson for us to learn in this passage. But that’s not all we can glean from this parable. The sower is mentioned in Mark 4:3, but is not mentioned again. You see the emphasis is on the condition of the soil/heart, NOT ON THE SOWER. This is a very important point that I think is missed far too often. You see those who have obeyed the gospel and have been added to the Lord’s family have an obligation. Much like on board the ship when I realized that I WOULD IN FACT BE A FIREFIGHTER. It was expected of me when I was sworn in .

I didn’t have a choice anymore. I didn’t sign up for part of the Navy. I signed up for all of it. I wrote a check to the United States Navy with no clear amount noted. Meaning, that I would give everything I had.

   If we are members of the Lords family, we ARE EXPECTED TO SPREAD HIS WORD. We can’t be half-in when it comes to God’s family. Those of us that have been baptized into God’s family are all the way in. We shouldn’t be fearful of that fact–that should give us comfort. Just like on board the ship, there is work to be done but we will never be doing that work alone. We have our Heavenly Father beside us. We have His word to guide us and we also have each of our brothers and sisters in Christ to support us.

   The sower was mentioned almost in passing. Let’s not lose that important point. You see the sower isn’t responsible for the increase. That is on God’s capable shoulders. That fact should free us to not worry as much about the response or lack thereof from those we study with because that’s not what we are called to do. We are called to spread the good news. It is GOD and GOD alone that gives the increase. Our job is to proclaim the word of God to all, not to shoulder guilt if the person we study with doesn’t obey the gospel. This should be a freeing realization to us all, allowing us to continue to spread the word and plant seeds in hopes that those seeds may grow and add another soul to the book of life.

Deuteronomy: The Second Giving Of The Law (IV)

“Conquering” Before The Conquest (3:1-29)

Neal Pollard

We can read ahead in the book of Joshua, appreciating that these military maneuvers were vital to building the confidence and experience of Israel in conquering their enemies and the territory belonging to them. Chapter two shows the first such battle, with the defeat of Sihon and the Amorites (2). The conquered territory was ceded to Reuben and Gad (12). Let us notice the content of this chapter briefly.

The defeat of the kingdom of Og in Bashan (1-11).  “The narrative says nothing of the route that was taken, though Numbers indicates that the point of origin was Jazer (Khirbet Jazzir) and, with Deuteronomy 3:1, agrees that its destination was Edrei (Derʿa), thirty miles southeast of the Sea of Galilee (Num 21:32–33). This would have been a fifty-mile march from the southwest to northeast through the Gilead tablelands” (Merrill, NAC, 105). Pointing to the previous battle, God reassured Israel that He would deliver Og into their hands, too (2-3). Again, they showed total obedience to God by utterly destroying everyone (3). They took 60 cities (4), “fortified with high walls, gates and bars, besides a great many unwalled towns” (5). While they destroyed men, women, and children, they took animals and spoils as booty (7). An important fact, though subtly inserted, is the impressiveness of King Og. He was the lone surviving descendant of a race of giants called the Rephaim (2:11). His enormous size is supported by his bed, confiscated by Israel. It was 13 feet long and 6 feet wide (cf. 11). 

The review of the conquered territory to this point (12-17). Moses summarizes all the land they had taken to this point in the region we call the trans-Jordan region (on the other side of the river). This will factor again in Joshua’s writings in his book that follows. Land is distributed to Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh here. Here, Moses gives the eastern boundary of the nation of Israel. 

Preparation for passing the baton of conquering (18-22). This is summed up in two statements: “I commanded you (valiant men; the sons of Israel)” (18) and “I commanded Joshua” (22). The soldiers from this already-conquered territory would leave their wives, children, and livestock behind, and go into battle with their brethren to conquer the rest of the territory in the allotted promised land. The soldiers are told to cross the Jordan and fight until the whole land is subdued (18-20). Joshua, the next commander-in-chief, is told to use these victories over Og and Sihon as object lessons for what was to come. He is also told not to fear, since God would be fighting for them (22). 

Moses, a man conquered by time and circumstance (23-29). Moses begged God to be able to cross over into Canaan with the people and see the land up close (23-25). This is only one of two uses of the name “Lord God” in the entire book of Deuteronomy (the other is 9:26). It means “Yahweh, the Most Powerful One.” Moses speaks optimistically, knowing what God can do (24-25). God replies emphatically, saying what He will do (26-29). He will allow Moses to see the promised land from the mountaintop view of Pisgah, but not enter. Moses once again, in verse 26, makes implicit reference to his striking the rock when asked by God to speak to it (cf. 1:37; Num. 20:12).  Instead, Moses was to focus his final energies on preparing Joshua to finish the task of conquering (28-29). 

Moses appears to allude to one other “conquering” in the last verse of the chapter. Beth-peor (29) is probably the same as Baal-peor (4:3) where Balaam’s evil influence leads to the deaths of 24,000 people who served idols and committed fornication (Num. 25:1-9; Ps. 106:28; Hos. 9:10; 2 Pet. 2:15; Jude 11; Rev. 2:14). Thankfully, not all were conquered by that temptation to sin (4:4)! 

Reading through this chapter, I am reminded of Peter’s observations about certain false teachers in his day. He writes, “For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved” (2 Pet. 2:18-19; cf. Rom. 6:16; John 8:34). There is literal, physical conquering in this chapter (1-22) and figurative, spiritual conquering in this chapter (23-29). Deuteronomy helps us see the way to overcome, submitted fully to God’s revealed will! 

God’s Word Is Your Compass

Brent Pollard

“For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross the sea for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it.” (Deuteronomy 30.11–14 NASB 1995)

The Bible is widely known, but not all individuals believe in it. Moreover, simply believing in the Bible does not guarantee a transformation in behavior. This fact is unfortunate, as the Bible provides easily understandable and actionable instructions from God (see Psalm 19:7).

Despite the varying levels of belief, it is essential to acknowledge the Bible’s widespread availability and recognition. In this digital age, accessing God’s word is just a swipe away on a smartphone. Given the Bible’s evergreen status, it’s reasonable to assume that most people also possess a printed copy. This accessibility demonstrates God’s neverending ability to provide guidance and wisdom.

Given the Bible’s widespread availability, it is crucial to understand that it offers guidance and advice. We should always count on the Word of God as our compass, using it as both guidance and assurance. The Bible instructs us to discuss and share its teachings as a practical guide for daily living, using the phrase “in your mouth” (v. 14). It’s like a handbook for navigating life, packed with wisdom we can draw upon for all our daily decisions.

However, merely reading or hearing God’s words is insufficient; they must be internalized in our hearts (see Psalm 119.11). The text emphasizes the importance of internalizing the Word of God in our hearts. It is crucial to adopt the messages conveyed by the Bible to develop our values and actions. This internalization marks the beginning of a genuine transformation. As the teachings of the Bible permeate our existence, they shape our decisions, leading us to act with deep understanding.

The ultimate purpose of religious truth is to promote obedience, not satisfy curiosity or thought. Consequently, the word of God has immense power to motivate us to take action. As believers, we must implement the teachings of the Bible into our daily lives. Following its principles is a clear indication of our genuine faith. The Bible reinforces the importance of putting one’s beliefs into action (see Hebrews 11 and James 2.14–26). As James urged, we must be “doers of the word, and not merely hearers” (James 1:21 NASB 1995).

In conclusion, the Bible is more than just a book; it is a personal compass that deeply connects with our hearts and influences our conduct. God has crafted the teachings to make them easy to understand and practice daily. To fully benefit from the Bible, we must actively engage with it, allowing it to shape our beliefs, decisions, and actions. By doing so, we can experience the transformative power of God’s word in our lives.

Deuteronomy: The Second Giving Of The Law (III)

On Possessing And Dispossessing (2:1-34)

Neal Pollard

After detailing the rebellion and unbelief of the nation in chapter one, Moses highlights aspects of the latter portion of their wandering in this chapter. He breezes through the first 38 years of their wandering (14), explaining that these 40 years were to purge Israel of the generation of the men of war who refused to obey God’s command under Moses to enter Canaan (16). Moses highlights how God completely took care of their needs throughout the wandering (7). But, the emphasis of this chapter seems to be multiple object lessons concerning the nations they encounter near the end of their journey, nations they have some relationship to and observations concerning God’s care for them and the opponents these nations overcame. 

First, there are the Edomites (4-8a, 12). These descendants of Esau (Israel’s brother) have a healthy fear of Israel (4), so God tells them not to provoke them, attack them, or try to take their land (5). This was Esau’s promised land (5). Instead, they were to buy food and water from Edom, trusting God to help meet their needs (6-7). Heathen inhabitants possessed the territory before Esau’s descendants drove them out (12). Moses writes, “dispossessed them and destroyed them from before them and settled in their place.” The Edomites served as a pattern and example to Israel (12).

Second, there are the Moabites (8b-11).  These are the descendants of Lot, Abraham’s nephew. The same instructions are given concerning the territory of these people. Israel is to refrain from harassing them or provoking them to war (9). This was territory promised to Moab (9). However, like the giants Israel saw in spying out their promised land, the Moabites had a people as great, numerous, and tall as the Anakim (11). The Moabites called them Emim, and they apparently displaced these fearful folks. 

Third, there are the Ammonites (19-23,37). Between his mention of Moab and Ammon, Moses reminds the people that their faithless counterparts, these people’s parents, had God against them to destroy them. He doesn’t explicitly mention why here, but we know from numerous accounts that it was their lack of faith. As the new generation heads toward Canaan, they encounter Ammon. They hear the same instructions as concerning Edom and Moab (19). Again, the Ammonites faced giants like the Anakim (Num. 13:33) who the Israelites were too fearful of.  Moses emphasizes the Ammonites courage, even doubling back to Edom to make the point with Israel that Ammon displaced the Rephaim, “A people as great, numerous, and tall as the Anakim, but the Lord destroyed them before them. And they dispossessed them and settled in their place, just as He did for the sons of Esau, who live in Seir, when He destroyed the Horites from before them; they dispossessed them and settled in their place even to this day” (21-22).  In verse 23, he seems to give another example of a people, the ancestors of the Cretans (Caphtorim), who came to the land of a people, the Avvim, and destroyed them and lived in their place. That would be Israel’s task regarding Canaan.

Fourth, there are the Amorites (24-36). This enemy forms a sort of military exercise and preparation for the conquest. First, God tells them that they would defeat and displace them (24). Israel has grown into a massive, young, and vibrant nation, and people everywhere feared them to the point of dread, trembling, and anguish (25). The king of the Amorites, Sihon, king of Heshbon, is asked to sell food and water to Israel and allow safe passage through their land as the Edomites, Moabites, and Ammonites had done (26-29). But God used this to harden his heart, that Israel might see God’s deliverance as they obeyed His command (30). In fact, God said, “See, I have begun to deliver Sihon and his land over to you…” (31). Israel fights and God delivers (32-33). Israel “utterly destroyed the men, women and children of every city. We left no survivor. We took only the animals as our booty and the spoil of the cities which we had captured” (34-35). What a transformation of attitude! They could report, “there was no city that was too high for us; the Lord our God delivered all over to us” (36)!  This land would eventually become part of the territory of Reuben and Gad (Josh. 13:15-27). 

Moses is still reviewing the events of the wandering, settling now on the more recent past. But, notice that God is using these inferior, unchosen nations–their ethnic cousins–to show them what courageous action coupled with divine favor could produce. He also clarifies that these territories were not their land of promise, but areas to pass through on the way. He gives them a taste of what the conquest would be like, enabling their victory over the Amorites.

Sometimes, we can learn from the people around us to possess the courage, conviction, and tenacity we need to have in pursuing our God-given tasks (Luke 16:8)! They should never outdo us in their pursuit of their goals and purposes. We also need to be reminded that this world is not our home; we’re just passing through (Mat. 6:19-21; 1 Jn. 2:15-17)! May we never mistake this world for the world to come. Finally, our small victories here are all part of our endeavor to gain the greatest victory there is (1 Jn. 5:4)! 

Rational Faith

Gary Pollard
  1. Universal constants (ie. truth) exist. They must, or civilization would not be able to sustain itself. 
  2. Only one religious system has a flawless narrative from beginning to end: Christianity. The collection of sacred writings we call the bible is uncanny in its preservation and authenticity. No other ancient document has ever held up to academic scrutiny like the bible has. 
  3. While no organization is perfect, none have positively impacted the planet like Christianity has. Not even close. No civilization has been as functional as those which have been built on Judeo-Christian principles. Literacy is as wide-spread as it is because of the bible. 
  4. Evidence for the existence of a higher power is everywhere. If the bible — which contains a supernaturally infallible narrative — claims that the God we serve is that higher power, it is only rational to serve that God. 

“Faith is what makes real the things we hope for. It is proof of what we cannot see. God was pleased with the people who lived a long time ago because they had faith like this. Faith helps us understand that God created the whole world by his command. This means the things we see were created by something that cannot be seen” (Hb 11.1-3). 

We were not there 2,000 years ago when Jesus walked the earth. We were not there when he created the earth. We were not there when he came back to life. We were not there to witness any miracles. 

But what has been left to us is a series of compelling proofs, such as the complexity and order of the universe from the cosmic scale to the microscopic scale. We have a collection of ancient documents which have been preserved to a degree that no other ancient documents have, and which contain no narrative contradictions. We have a system of belief that, when followed properly, is the most functional way to live. We will not see with our own eyes until Jesus returns. Until then we are satisfied with the evidence we have, and we are confident in who God is and that he exists. This is the very definition of faith. 

Deuteronomy: The Second Giving Of The Law (II)

Why They Wandered In The Wilderness (1:1-46)

Neal Pollard

Interestingly, Moses begins the book of Deuteronomy by giving the date, location, audience, and reason for writing. He gathered all Israel in the portion of the wilderness in the land of Moab, on the first day of the 11th month of the 40th year of their wandering. He writes that with his first address to the people he did so to “expound this law” (5). In order to give a detailed explanation of the law, he chooses to review exactly how they came to be in their current predicament. 

A Rejected Mission (6-25). Moses starts his review at Mt. Sinai, where God told them to go and take possession of Canaan (6-8). To mobilize and care for a people so numerous–at the suggestion of his father-in-law (Ex. 18)–wise and experienced men were delegated to judge any grievances and issues among the people (9-18). When they arrived at Kadesh-Barnea in the hill country of the Amorites (19-20), they glimpsed their promised land (21). Moses admonished them, “Do not fear or be dismayed” (21b). The people devised the plan of sending spies into Canaan to bring back produce and a report of what they found in the land, which Moses approved (22-25). What he did not approve was their evaluation. 

A Rebellious Men (26-33). Moses says that despite acknowledging that the land was good, they were rebellious and unwilling (26). They grumbled (27). The spies spread fear into the hearts of the people (28). They were shocked and afraid (29). They did not trust God, despite His faithful leadership and protection (30-33). An objective as ancient as Abraham, the very target they aimed at upon their exodus from Egypt, was now shunned. They let emotions overshadow their God-given purpose. For this, God calls them an “evil generation” (35). 

A Recompensing Maker (34-46). Moses tells us how God felt about their distrust and disobedience. Not only was He angry with the nation (34), He would be angry for Moses during the wandering (37; Num. 20:12; Deut. 3:26; 4:21). God took an oath against them, a sobering image to consider (34). That generation was forbidden from entering Canaan (35,40), with the exception of Caleb who “followed the Lord fully” (36) and Joshua who would succeed Moses (38). Their children, whom they used as an excuse for disobedience, would grow up and go do what they lacked the faith to accomplish (39). Hearing this, the people suddenly mustered their courage and attempted to take the land. But God had withdrawn His help, and the people were chased as if by bees and “crushed…from Seir to Hormah” (41-44). Again, they were being  rebellious and presumptuous (43). They wept to the Lord, but He would not listen to a people who had stubbornly rejected His Word (45). They were consigned to circle around Mount Seir for the duration of their wandering (2:1ff). 

This new generation needed to know exactly why there were in the wilderness. They needed to know the way to leave the wilderness and to take the promised land. They needed to be more intimately acquainted with the God who had preserved them these 40 years, to trust Him as He led them in the conquest to come. They needed to come face to face with the faults of their fathers, to avoid repeating the deadly cycle. To go forward, it is often helpful to remember the past. We do not have to be enslaved by it, but we must be educated by it. Therefore, the wilderness experience will be retold by Bible writers throughout the Old Testament and even reviewed in the various genres of New Testament literature: the gospels (John 3:14; 6:32), history (Acts 7:44), and the epistles (1 Cor. 10:5; Heb. 3:8,17). In fact, Paul said God wants us to learn from this generation how not to live (1 Cor. 10:11). Moses is trying to do that with the next generation, to get them to see where their fathers had fallen short. 

If The Gospel Isn’t Working

Dale Pollard
The longest train ever recorded in history was the Australian BHP Iron Ore. The cars behind it stretched approximately 4.6 miles. To provide some mind-boggling perspective here's what one train-fanatic wrote, 

“Driven by a single driver, the line’s 99,734-ton and 682-car train was able to carry 82,000 tons (181 million pounds) of iron ore. The Australian BHP Iron Ore can fit about 24 Eiffel Towers…The weight of this train being the same as about 402 Statues of Liberty.”

Trains are impressive heavy-haulers, but only under the right conditions. On the tracks they’ll whistle while they work but once they’re derailed— they only whistle. Trains don’t work without tracks. 

Paul would make an interesting appeal to the saints who met at the infant church family in Thessalonica. He asks that they pray for the powerful gospel to have a straight path so it could move quickly. His exact words were,

“pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified…”

2 Thess. 3.1b 

In a simple yet inspired prayer request a practical and profound implication steps out of subtlety— Prayerlessness will hinder the furtherance of the gospel. 

Based on this text, the content of congregational prayers may be in need of careful inspection. Reevaluating your evangelistic ministries, online presence, visibility in the community, advertising efforts, kingdom expenditures, and even the dynamics the worship service— all must fall below the prayer line on the priority list.  

While Paul was writing to the Thessalonians, God was writing to the rest of us. He reminds us that this request should ring in the prayers of His congregations today. The written petition by itself informs the modern church that this is something that God is willing and able to do for us, He would just have us ask. The powerful gospel needs prayer— like a train needs tracks. 

A 21st century church member may occasionally think 

The gospel doesn’t seem to be as convicting in my community. It works just fine in other parts of the world, and it worked well in the past— but not so much here and now. 

More Reasons Can Be Found 

Here: James 4.2-3 
Here: Matthew 21.22 
And Here: Ephesians 6.19-20 



———————————
Quote, (A-z-trains.com)

Deuteronomy: The Second Giving Of The Law (I)

Background And Introduction

Neal Pollard

It is majestic. It is Messianic. It is a masterpiece of literary genius, even among the inspired books of the Bible. Delivered by an aging Moses as Israel stands at the cusp of Canaan, it is full of preaching and persuasion. The book is material that is necessary for the next generation, who had survived forty years in the wilderness, to ready themselves for what God had prepared for them. As James Smith puts it, there was a new generation, new land, new dangers, new prospects, new challenges, new duties, and a new leader about to emerge (478). 

There are 34 chapters, 958 verses, and 28,461 words in this book. The book’s name comes from the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) and literally means “second law.” It actually goes deeper and further applies the original law given in Exodus to the previous generation. Deuteronomy has been called “Moses’ farewell address.” The Hebrew title comes from the first line of the book–אֵ֣לֶּה הַדְּבָרִ֗ים (“these are the words”). It is written in the plains of Moab east of the Jordan River in 1406 B.C., the last year of the period of wandering.

Try to go to far without reading a command, promise, or warning. Moses’ life’s work has been to get these people into the land God promised Abraham He would give to them. He knows he will not physically finish that job, but the law-giver was trying to ready them for life on the other side of the Jordan River in their new home.

There are different ways to divide the material of the book of Deuteronomy. One can see it as three individuals sermons, a shorter one (ch. 1-4), a long one (ch. 5-26), and a last, shorter, and summarizing one (ch. 27-34). The theme of each sermon is “obedience.”  Griffith Thomas sees it as giving the necessity of obedience (the Law of God), the motive of obedience (the goodness of God), the standard of obedience (the word of God), the incentive of obedience (the faithfulness of God), and the alternative of obedience (the justice of God)(166). These sermons may have all been delivered in the same day, and the timespan of the whole book is measured in weeks. 

Alternately, one could see the book as centering around the idea of “covenant.” God initiates the covenant, Israel receives the covenant, and the book of Deuteronomy contains the recording of the covenant. As such, the book gives the character of God, the character of Israel, and the nature of their relationship. Regarding God’s character, the book reveals Him as Elector of Israel (26:5-9), Redeemer of Israel (many places including 3:24-29), Defender of Israel (ch. 2,7,31), Benefactor of Israel (32:15-18), and Judge of Israel (ch. 7, 30,32-33)(cf. Merrill, NAC, 47). 

Kline Meredith observes that Deuteronomy reflects “vassal treaties” of their time, consisting of six parts: (1) preamble (1:1-5), (2) historical prologue (1:6-4:43), (3) general stipulations (5:1-1132), (4) specific stipulations (12:1-26:14), (5) divine witnesses invoked, and (6) blessings and curses (ch. 27-28)(Treaty Of The Great King, 1963). 

One other way to break down Deuteronomy would be to see it as looking back (ch. 1-4), looking up (ch. 5-26), and looking ahead (ch. 27-34). 

There are no new characters introduced in Deuteronomy, but a total of 15 characters already introduced are found in this book. They include God’s chosen, but also God’s enemies. Yet, the focus is upon the nation as a whole and their responsibility to hear God’s Word and do it. Their obedience would cause divine blessings. Their rejection would cause divine curse.

Themes to look for include the land, remembering, blessings, repentance, ethical and moral purity, listening, and loving God. Key words include all (264), today (59), statutes (29), sons (74), see (33), people (86), live (35), heart (46), earth (34), covenant (27), and eat (59). This is not exhaustive, but helps us get some idea of what the book is about and the material it covers. 

Let us drink deeply of this divine discourse, making application as we see how God longs to interact with His chosen people. 

She Strikes Gold Every Week…

52 Reasons to Love the Church

The Will To Survive

Neal Pollard

Juliana Koepke was 17 years old when she boarded a flight with her mother and 90 other people in Lima, Peru, on Christmas Eve, 1971. The plane had a terrible service record and her father urged his wife and daughter to wait for a better one, but they wanted to be reunited for Christmas. That was the disposition of the airline and flight crew, too. So they pressed on, even as severe weather stood between them and their arrival at Iquitos. A lightning strike broke the plane apart, ultimately killing every crew member and passenger except Juliana. She survived a fall of 10,000 feet, landing in the Amazon Jungle still strapped to her seat.

She suffered a broken collar bone, deep gash in her arm, an eye injury, and a concussion. The near-sighted Juliana lost her glasses and one of her sandals. She then walked through the dense Amazon Jungle for 10 days and finally found shelter in a hut that night. Local fishermen found her and took her by canoe to civilization. She used the survival skills her parents had taught her since early childhood and combined it with her sheer will to survive. Now 70 years old, she continues her parents’ work of biological research to this day in the same jungle where she survived the crash. There were things she had no influence over that helped her survive the initial crash, and the help of others was indispensable to her survival. But being saved from death, she didn’t give up until she was ultimately rescued.

Don’t you think our circumstances are similar, in a figurative sense? We didn’t influence God’s eternal plan of salvation, but we can benefit from it. We will not be saved without the influence and assistance of others along the way. But being saved from death, we can and must endure to the end (2 Tim. 2:12; Heb. 10:36). If we do, we will experience an eternal rescue. God wants to rescue every one of us from spiritual death (Gal. 1:4). But He won’t save us without our cooperation!

Juliana today

Much information gleaned from here

Genesis: These Are The Generations (LII)

Of Burials, Begging, Blessings, And Bones (50:1-26)

Neal Pollard

The book of Genesis ends with the death of two major characters. Actually, Jacob’s death is found in the last verse of chapter 49, but the discharge of his body in covered in this chapter. The very book of Genesis will end with the death of Joseph. In between, we observe some interesting details.

Israel Is Honored (1-14). What a stark contrast that the nation named for him would be dishonored and abused soon after, during the lifetime of Moses. But, when Jacob (Israel) had died, Joseph honored him with emotion (1) then embalming (2). This process is what many of us have become familiar with as mummification. “Embalm” is a word meaning to make spicy or to ripen, but the lengthy process of 40 days suggests more than the local funeral home does today (3; see note below for more). Joseph and his brothers honor him by making the trek to Machpelah to bury their father in the family cemetery. Even the Canaanites honor him and rename the place of the sons’ mourning, noting, “This is a grievous mourning for the Egyptians” (11). Later Canaanites would not be so sympathetic toward Israel. 

The Brothers Are Frightened (15-18). Thinking perhaps that their father was a buffer between themselves and Joseph’s resentment, they send a messenger to attempt their self-preservation. In the message, they remind Joseph of their father’s charge to forgive them for their sin against him (16-17). They seem to continue to live with the guilt of their violent betrayal so many years before (17b). They offer themselves as slaves, if he will preserve their lives (18). 

Joseph Is Forgiving (19-21). Their plea makes him weep (18). Joseph has laser-sharp perspective on all that has transpired. First, he indicates that God had and would administer justice according to His will (19). Second, he acknowledges their evil against him, but also that God was at work through even such actions to bring about great good, preserving many people alive (20). Then, he pledged to provide for them and their children, speaking words of comfort and kindness to them. If you ever seek a model of what true forgiveness looks like, reread this section of Genesis. 

Life Goes On (22-26). Moses punctuates this epic, inaugural Bible book by showing the happy, full life Joseph lives. We often think of Joseph, the young man or in the prime of his life. But, Genesis ends with Joseph, the grandfather, great-grandfather, and even great-great-grandfather. He tells his brothers he is about to die, but makes them swear that they would carry his bones out of Egypt (25). Why was this an indication of his faith (Heb. 11:22)? Perhaps because he would not be carried out for 360 years, after the periods of bondage, wandering, and conquest occur (Josh. 24:32). 

Mathews notes that Jacob and Joseph are the only two biblical persons who were embalmed (931). He also adds this interesting highlight to the fact that the divine purpose was being unfolded through the generations of men that lived and died. He writes, “Joseph and Joshua are the bookends of Israel’s sojourn in Egypt. The mention of ‘Egypt’ as the final word of Genesis prepares the way for the events that follow in the Book of Exodus. Although the promise to the patriarchs was not yet fulfilled, and indeed appeared very far from ever being accomplished, the Book of Genesis is calling on the reader to take up the faith of Joseph in the promises made to the Fathers” (ibid.). 

Such basic themes form a fitting end to this great book. It is appointed unto men once to die, and then the judgment (Heb. 9:27). All the living know they will die (Ecc. 9:5). As long as we’re in these bodies, we’re tempted by fear and anxiety. Sometimes, the cause is self-inflicted. We agonize over the guilt of our past. Life is blessed, not only by divine forgiveness but by those great human beings who reflect the Father by being forgiving. Extending forgiveness can make all the difference in the hearts of the guilty. Then, as long as life goes on, life will go on (Ecc. 1:4)! So it will be as one turns the page to Exodus. 

NOTE: “To embalm refers to the process used by the Egyptians to preserve the bodies of humans and some animals. The internal organs were removed and the body was dried out. Spices and oils were applied, and then the body was tightly wrapped with linen strips. Finally the body was placed in a decorated mummy case. Some of these procedures may be seen in paintings on the walls of Egyptian tombs. The reason for preserving Jacob’s body is that, being Joseph’s father, he is treated as a person of high rank. Moreover, the long trip back to Canaan with the body made it essential” (Reyburn, William David, and Euan McG. Fry. A Handbook on Genesis. New York: United Bible Societies, 1998. Print. UBS Handbook Series, p. 1104).