Matthew, Mark, and Luke’s gospels all showcase for us the growth of Peter as a Christ-follower. In Matthew’s account Peter will be praised by Jesus— then rebuked by Him. The roller coaster ride Peter experienced is felt in the text but there’s more to this account than just an uncomfortable interaction. Peter declares the sonship of Christ through heavenly revelation, then Jesus refers to him as Satan just a few verses later.
“From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.
Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”
Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human.” – Matt. 16.21-23
When we step back and look at the chapter as a whole we can see Peter’s response to Jesus as he informs them (the disciples) that He must die and be raised seems to be one motivated purely out of love. Peter doesn’t want his teacher, friend, and master to die. That’s understandable. He even takes the Lord aside so as to not rebuke Jesus in front of the other disciples. This wasn’t something done in Peter’s mind to thwart the plans of God, but the response to this is unexpected. Did Peter deserve to be called Satan?
His rebuke was a stumbling block to Jesus.
Jesus was on a mission but the Pharisees, Scribes, the Roman government, and plenty of others had made the ministry of Jesus difficult- still He was able to overcome. When challenged by them Jesus was able to masterfully handle their questions and accusations. Those were challenges He faced by the wicked and cunning crowds, but someone as close to Jesus as Peter would have presented a different temptation. It’s difficult for us to hear persuasive voices from those close to us like friends and family. They have the ability to talk you out of or into all manner of things and many times this is a great help. Their advice is often appreciated more than those of outsiders. However this can also be a challenge to us in negative ways if their counsel leads us further from God. Peter deserved such a swift and blunt response because it was a threat to the will of the Father, and this is a good principle for us to follow today.
God promises a nation to Abraham, an elderly man whose wife was barren. Sarah takes matters into her own hands and complicates things with Hagar and Ishmael. Finally, a lone son, Isaac, is born. He grows up, marries Rebekah, and she has twins. The strife between those sons goes literally to their beginning. Jacob wrests the birthright and blessing through cunning and deceit. Now, Jacob settles in Haran amidst the household of a man more cunning and deceitful than himself and marries two of his daughters. As James Smith puts it, “God would have all self-righteous Israelites to realize the context of jealousy and superstition out of which the twelve tribes emerged” (The Pentateuch, 191). His remarks center specifically on the birth of Jacob’s twelve sons.
Children were conceived out of an unwanted marriage (29:31-35; 30:17-21). Isn’t it interesting that the most prolific child bearer of the four women who slept with Jacob is Leah, the one with the weak (or sparkle-less) eyes whom Jacob never asked for? Repeatedly, these verses speak of how the Lord saw and heard these women who appeal to Him. Leah bears Jacob Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, and Dinah.
Have you considered that two of the most important features of the Israelite system, the priesthood (Levi) and the monarchy (Judah), came from this unwanted union? The handmaids were proxies of these sisters. From a fleshly point of view, one would conclude that Jacob neither suffered nor complained about these arrangements. But how it sullied the resulting nation! Contrast the establishment of Israel with the establishment of the church. The founder of the church was born of a virgin and was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Resulting from this union was a “chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession” (1 Pet. 2:9).
Children were born of proxies (30:1-7; 30:8-13). As already mentioned, each sister gave their handmaid to Jacob to raise up children in their name. This seems an odd arrangement to the modern, western mind, but such children were recognized as belonging to the woman who loans her out to her husband. Think of the many complications that arose from deviating from God’s plan for marriage. Polygamy, concubines, and handmaids were not part of God’s original pattern (Mat. 19:8). Rachel’s maid, Bilhah, gives Jacob Dan (“vindication”) and Naphtali (“wrestlings of God”). Leah’s maid, Zilpah, bears Jacob Gad (“fortune”) and Asher (“happy”). Incidentally, notice the brighter outlook of Leah contrasted with Rachel–who apparently despite her beauty might have had a more difficult-to-deal-with side (see 30:1-3). Rather than waiting on the Lord, these women imitated their ancestor, Sarah, in getting ahead of God!
Children were attempted through superstition, but granted through supplication (30:14-16,22-24). An interesting event is recorded in the midst of the childbearing wars that may be confusing without closer investigation. In the late spring or early summer, Leah’s eldest, Reuben, found mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mom (14; see Song 7:13). When Rachel hears about this, she arranges a deal with Leah in which she gets conjugal rights to Jacob in exchange for this fruit/herb.
This might be baffling, but a little research explains why Rachel would want this so badly. Easton explains, “The weight of authority is in favour of its being regarded as the Mandragora officinalis of botanists, ‘a near relative of the night-shades, the ‘apple of Sodom’ and the potato plant.’ It possesses stimulating and narcotic properties….The fruit of this plant resembles the potato-apple in size, and is of a pale orange colour. It has been called the ‘love-apple.’ The Arabs call it ‘Satan’s apple.’ It still grows near Jerusalem, and in other parts of Palestine” (Easton Dictionary, 442-443).
Notice, however, that Leah appeals to God and He blesses her with three more children. She credits Him in the naming of Issachar and Zebulun (18-20) and apparently also in the naming of Dinah (“acquitted”; “vindicated”), Jacob’s only daughter mentioned in the account. The text tells us that God remembered Rachel and finally opened her womb as she apparently cried out to Him for help (22). If the mandrakes played a part, Scripture does not say so. In fact, we have every reason to believe that it was only by Rachel’s trust and God’s power that the heretofore impossible was finally done.
Eleven sons and a daughter now make up Jacob’s dysfunctional domicile. As we will see next, Jacob’s family has grown to the extent that he is ready to leave his father’s household and establish his own in what he considers “my own country” (25-26). The family and faith failures enmeshed in these births, the resulting dysfunction, will show itself again in several future events among them. Violence, envy, and even murder lay ahead.
One cannot help but think of passages of Scripture like Job 4:8, Proverbs 22:8, Hosea 8:7, and Galatians 6:7-8. Each adult in this account resorted to their own wisdom and power, and there were decided consequences as the result! How important for us to trust God, His time, His way, and His plan. Scripture repeatedly shows the problems we cause when we go our own way! I think about my own life, where I have gotten in trouble for the same thing. Rather than trusting God’s will, we exert our own and inevitably pay the price! May we engrave this on our heart: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding” (Prov. 3:5).
I’ve been studying the nature of Christian love recently. I try to study where my knowledge is insufficient or personal character is lacking. It has been difficult for me to love others the way Jesus loved others. I still have a long way to go. Other people can be unlovable, and threats are to be dealt with! This is the perhaps one of the more common baselines of human thought.
Jesus calls us to transcend these primal dispositions and pursue a truly selfless love. We have many obstacles to overcome in our pursuit of the kind of love Jesus shows. The idea of “love of self” has been perverted by the world. We’ve all seen a saying that goes something like, “You can’t love others unless you love yourself.” While the underlying motive behind that saying may have been pure, it has been used to justify narcissistic tendencies or excuse bad behavior.
But what if I genuinely don’t love myself? How can I love my neighbor like I love myself if I don’t feel anything (or very little) positive about myself? Our understanding of biblical love may need to change a little. In all of scripture (and even in apocryphal and pseudepigraphal writings), love for our neighbors almost always translates to providing for their needs.
A person may not love self, but they will not starve their bodies out of hatred (remember, an exception by its nature is not the rule; a rule is something so often true that it is reliably predictable). They will not neglect the basic functions of being just because their view of self is not completely perfect.
Love does not necessarily have anything to do with how we feel about a person. It is sometimes called “the strongest emotion” but this is not completely accurate. There is an emotional aspect to love, often described as σπλαγχνον (splanknon, compassion) or οικτιρμος (oiktirmos, heartfelt pity), though this is not exhaustive. But αγαπη love is a decision to help another person, despite how we might feel about them.
What does biblical love look like? If we love our neighbor, we’ll feed them when they’re hungry, encourage or give affirmation when they need it, help them financially (anonymously, if we want to avoid God’s judgment), give grace to their weaknesses and mistakes, and overlook hurtful actions done to us.
Who are our neighbors? Our enemies, our friends, and everyone else who lives on this planet. More realistically, any other human in our proximity. If we see a need and have the ability to help, godly love compels us to help. When Jesus comes back he will ask, “Did you take care of my people?” So much more could be said about this, but next week we will look at the kind of love God wants us to have for him.
The author of Hebrews uses the example of the Melchizedekian priesthood to establish the priesthood of Christ. Jesus belonged to the tribe of Judah, which Moses did not mention regarding the earthly priesthood. Therefore, there was a need for a covenant change to allow a non-Levite to serve as a priest. The writer of Hebrews spends chapters eight and nine explaining how the New Testament replaced the Old Testament in line with prophecy (see Jeremiah 31.3–14). In summary, the Holy Spirit confirmed that it was God’s will for Jesus to be a priest, but since He could not serve as a priest on earth because of Moses’ Law, Jesus instituted the New Testament so that He could be our High Priest in heaven.
Some believe that Jesus will reign as King from David’s throne in a future Jerusalem-based kingdom. However, there is an obstacle preventing Jesus from doing so on earth. God cut off David’s seed from sitting on David’s throne, as mentioned in Jeremiah 22:30, making it impossible for any of Jeconiah’s (or Jehoiakim’s) descendants to reign in Judah. This fact is relevant because Jeconiah was an ancestor of Joseph, Jesus’s foster father. Matthew traces Jesus’s legal lineage through Joseph in Matthew 1:12. Since Jesus is a descendant of Jeconiah, he cannot reign as an earthly king even though it was God’s will for Christ to be King. If God had not taken away the right of Jeconiah’s descendants to reign in Judah, Jesus could have certainly been an earthly king.
So, how is Christ a king? Jesus promised to establish a kingdom (Matthew 16:18–19). When Pilate pressed him, Jesus admitted to being a king (John 18.37). However, consider how Jesus qualified the nature of His kingdom in John 18.36. “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm” (NASB 1995). This truth means that Christ’s kingship is spiritual rather than earthly, as is His priesthood. It is worth noting that Jesus also accomplished this through His New Testament.
Many people misunderstand the truth and think that the apocalyptic language of a millennial kingdom in Revelation 20.6 refers to a future earthly kingdom that Christ will rule in Jerusalem. This misunderstanding is because they do not understand the interchangeability of the terms “kingdom” and “church” in Matthew 16.18–19. The word “church” is a Latin loanword that does not appear in the Bible. The actual word for church is “assembly.” Thus, the church represents the people. The word for “kingdom” is “basileia,” which means a kingdom or realm over which a king has sovereign authority. Therefore, God’s will was for Christ to choose a group of people from all over the world willing to submit to his authority.
According to the Book of Daniel, God showed King Nebuchadnezzar a prophetic dream about the future (see Daniel 2). In the dream, a cut stone struck a large image at its feet, causing the entire image to shatter and signifying the end of all worldly authority. Different materials comprised the image’s body parts, representing different empires. Babylon was the head of gold, Persia was the chest and arms of silver, Greece was the belly and thighs of bronze, and Rome was the legs of iron and feet of iron and clay. The feet mingled with clay represented the internal weakness of Rome. Commentators are familiar with this dream’s timeline. However, some believe that the Kingdom of God, symbolized by the cut stone, is yet to appear. However, according to Daniel, the kingdom emerged during the reign of the Roman emperors, referred to as “those kings.”
Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power” (Mark 9.1 NASB 1995). For those who refuse to believe that Jesus established His kingdom as He intended, there must be more than one person of advanced years who can prove they are older than two millennia! We understand that the power to which Jesus referred was the Holy Spirit, who descended on the apostles on the day of Pentecost, around 33 AD (Acts 2.4). As a result, Jesus reigns as King today and will continue to do so until His return. Following His return, Jesus will hand over His authority to the Father and the redeemed from all ages (1 Corinthians 15.24).
Combining biblical texts and prophecies creates a deep understanding of Jesus Christ’s position as King and High Priest, which goes beyond worldly limitations. Jesus fulfills the roles God has designated for Him, not as a political leader or a member of the old priesthood, but in a heavenly and everlasting sense through the New Testament and His heavenly kingdom. This understanding challenges traditional beliefs about a future earthly kingdom, instead emphasizing Christ’s spiritual reign, which began during His ministry and continues today. As Christians, we have the honor of living in this heavenly kingdom that Christ, our eternal King and High Priest, rules over in a merciful and benevolent manner. Recognizing this broadens our spiritual understanding and strengthens our faith in the eternal truth of God’s word and His ultimate plan for redemption.
This past week we had some miserable cold days here in Kentucky. In fact, with windchill just the other night I saw negative 10 on the thermometer! There is such a huge contrast between summer and winter. The world goes from green to brown.
Trees go from grown out to bare. And the temperature goes from hot to cold. Those are two very different things, hot and cold. But if you mix them together, you get lukewarm water. There are some Christians in scripture who are called lukewarm and trust me, it isn’t a compliment.
The first few chapters of Revelation are addressed to 7 different churches. Each congregation had some problems they needed to take care of, and in chapter 3:14-22 we read of the church in Laodicea. The letter to the church at Laodicea is the harshest out of the 7 churches in Asia Minor. In fact, from the very beginning we read that this church is spiritually dead.
V. 14-15, “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: 15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot.”
Jesus knew what they had been doing as a church, He knew their deeds. Notice that He says they are neither “cold nor hot.” This church was lukewarm. Because of their lukewarm faith, they are condemned. Revelation 3:16, “So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.”
Hot water can purify, sanitize, and can be used to bathe. Cold water is refreshing and good for drinking. Lukewarm water can do none of these things. It is useless! The church at Laodicea understood this analogy better than anyone. To the north several miles was Hierapolis which was a city known for its hot springs. You could bathe in hot water, it was good for aches and pains, you could disinfect and clean with it. To the south of Laodicea was Colossae. It was known for having cool, clean water that was refreshing and perfect for drinking. Laodicea however drew its water from a spring 6 miles away, and by the time it flowed through the aqueduct to their city the water was disgustingly lukewarm. Certain historians described the water there as “nauseating to drink.”
And this was God’s reaction to the church there. Not good for anything. Not cool enough to drink, not warm enough to bathe. God’s response, He spewed them out of His mouth. The church made Him sick.
A lukewarm church, an attitude that was manifested by their deeds. Vs. 17, “Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,’ and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.”
Laodicea was known for its wealth. Apparently this attitude found its way into the church. They felt as though they needed nothing! They were convinced they had it all. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. Jesus says, “little do you know that you’re wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked.”
If Christ isn’t in our life, we have wasted our time. No amount of wealth can give us what we truly need; forgiveness. If we have become lukewarm, God has no need for us. Let’s be genuine in our faith, let’s be excited to work in God’s Kingdom!
Laodicea was given a chance to answer the knocking savior (20), and we are too.
There were some members of the early church who had difficulty accepting some of the basic teachings of Christianity. The Hebrews writer told them, “We have many things to tell you about this. But it’s hard to explain because you’ve stopped trying to understand. You’ve had enough time by now that you should be teachers. But you need someone to teach you again the first lessons of God’s teaching. You still need the teaching that is like milk. … Anyone who lives on this is still a baby and not able to understand much about living right. But solid food is for people who have grown up. From their experience they’ve learned to see the difference between good and evil” (Hb 5.11-14).
What’s the basic stuff that prevents us from being mature?
6.2 — Baptisms. This is probably Jewish washings and other irrelevant customs from the old system. They should’ve been past this by now.
6.2 — This one doesn’t really apply to us today, but “laying hands on people”, usually to give them God’s blessing or supernatural power.
6.2 — The resurrection of the dead and final judgment.
These basics should be a given for every Christian. The Hebrews writer’s audience had “had enough time by now to become teachers” only a couple decades after Jesus’s work. It’s been about 2,000 years for us. We have no excuse to be stuck in the basics!
So what should we be doing?
Hebrews 7-10 — Understand that Jesus is far superior to any other system of belief, he’s in the highest position of power in the universe, he lives to serve as our perfect high priest, the old system (Old Law) is irrelevant now (8.13), that Jesus’s sacrifice cleared humanity of how the Old Law convicted us of sin (9.15), understand that his return means rescue for those of us who are waiting for him (9.28), to think about and encourage each other to show love and do good things for other people (10.24-39), and to never lose our confidence in the power of our king (10-11).
This is a very simplified list for the sake of brevity, but a mature Christian tries hard to be like Jesus in how they live. They don’t give in when pressured by circumstance to deny Jesus through bad behavior. They accept suffering with grace and patience. Their confidence in who Jesus is and what he will do for us is never severely shaken. Their love for Christian family compels them to do good for them, and to encourage them by living like Jesus.
On a particular occasion, I was listening to a great sermon on worship. It was interesting and, in a very real way, enjoyable. But it was also forceful and convicting. The longer he preached, the more the message kept penetrating and pricking my heart. His sermon consisted of two points, that worship is an intentional meeting with God and, when we come, we must bring an offering. That may sound somewhat plain, but it was powerful.
Do not think that my view is that it is not a good sermon if your toes have not been crunched and you have not gone on a guilt trip. I love feel good sermons on grace and heaven, the same as the next brother or sister. However, as I listened to him preach that night, I thought of so many sermons by Camp, Clark, McCord, Winkler, Nichols, and others of their ilk. The rich overflow from a man who has studied, prepared, and honed his ability to present gospel truths reaches into the heart of a hearer. If we open our hearts during such sermons, we will be convicted by our shortcomings but motivated by the lesson to improve, grow, and increase what is good.
As he spoke about the “bucket,” I thought about the fact that more times than I want to admit I have come with an empty or nearly empty bucket. But hearing him preach about it, I felt resolve to fill it up next time I meet God in worship. In fact, that was what struck me most about his sermon. The more I heard, the more I wanted to please, love, and obey my Lord. It was painful, but exhilarating!
In our dramatically consumer-centric culture, you and I must break out of such selfishness and humbly approach the Audience of worship and give our everything to please Him. We need to come with our prayers, praise, thoughts, longings, meditation, money, and the like, urgently desiring to give and give some more to our great God! That will do more than transform our worship. It will change our very beings to the core!
I want to talk about something that everyone has some experience with: guilt. I think it’s safe to say whether you’re a little kid sneaking cookies from the pantry, lying to a friend, or disappointing someone you care about, we’ve all felt guilt and shame. I know I’m not an exception. Not long ago, I went to a friend’s house. It was supposed to be a stay at home night with a few friends. At least that’s what I thought, and what my mom had signed off on. Little did my mom or I know, my friends had other plans in mind, and that chill night went out the window. I ended up driving around harmlessly with my friends. I ‘forgot’ to tell my mom that things had changed, or that I would even be leaving my friend’s house. I thought that if I acted normal it would be fine, and what my mom doesn’t know won’t hurt her, right? But, I forgot about a minor detail. That little detail was that I had Life360 constantly giving my phone’s location to my mom. So, imagine her surprise when she looks at it, and sees me on the other side of the town when I was supposed to be at my friend’s house. I came home apologizing for breaking my mom’s trust, and lying to her. I learned my lesson, and luckily, my mom forgave me since it wasn’t as big of a deal as I thought it would be.
Sometimes in life we feel guilt or shame from our sins, and we think we have wandered so far away from the path God wants us on that he’ll never take us back. But, God never gives up on you, and you can always get back on track. The first example that comes to mind is the parable of the Prodigal Son, which is found in Luke 15. We all know the story. The younger son wanted his inheritance early, which his father graciously granted him. It didn’t take long for the son to lose every last cent of his dad’s money, and he then found himself at a low point in his life. He had no choice but to go back home poor, dirty, and ashamed. He just knew his dad was going to be so mad at him, and if he was lucky, maybe his dad would let him come back as a servant . But look at verse 20 through 24 “And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.” You see the son made a lot of mistakes, but His biggest was underestimating the love his father had for him.
God has that same love for us, and Romans 5:8 reassures us of that, saying, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Turn with me, also, to 1 John 4 verse 16 ”So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.“ God’s love for us is stronger than any mistake we could make. All that matters to God is that we trust him and are willing to follow his commandments.
When we take Christ on in baptism we are supposed to stop walking our own path and follow him. If you disobey His commandments, you are denying Him, therefore you are separating yourself from him. But, even though you may be temporarily lost, that does not mean you’ve lost your salvation. One great analogy that Hiram mentioned at a recent Bible study, was for us to imagine our Christian walk as a literal walk. Everyone starts in one place and with each step that you take forward you stay on the path of God. Many people think that when you disobey God’s word and you go off the path, that you’ve lost your salvation, and are away from God. What Hiram reminded us however, is much different. I was told that every wrong direction that we take in life is just us taking one step back. It isn’t getting off the path of Christianity, it’s just a slight mistake in this long walk of life. I know many times I’ve taken a step back in my faith. In the story of the prodigal son, he took several steps back and his father was still waiting for him to come home. Our Father waits for us too, just like my mom was waiting for me when I got home that night.
Jesus describes Himself in many ways throughout the Gospels. Each name further explains His love, care, protection, judgment, and attitude towards us. There is one name He used that caused quite an uprising in His earthly ministry. However before we dive into the New Testament, we must start at the beginning.
Exodus 3.
Here we read that Moses was shepherding his father-in-law’s flock. He takes the herd to Horeb, the mountain of God. While he is there with the animals he notices a bush engulfed in flames, but the bush wasn’t consumed by the fire. Moses goes closer to investigate, and he hears a voice from the bush call his name. This voice is the voice of God and He had a job for Moses to do.
He had heard the cries of His people in Egyptian captivity, and verse 10 He tells Moses to deliver them from the hand of Pharaoh. Moses isn’t too thrilled with his new task, but pay special attention to the next few verses: Exodus 3:13–14 says, “Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”
When God revealed Himself to Moses, He identified Himself as “I AM.” These two words summarize God’s nature. He is the only:
Uncreated
Eternal
Always-existing Being.
He is the I AM because He just is. He exists in all power and majesty, He has no timeline, no beginning, no end. He is I AM. No one else is like Him. Well, maybe someone is…
Seven times in the gospel of John, Jesus used the name “I Am” while claiming to possess certain attributes of God. For the Jews, numbers had special meaning. Seven is quite possibly the most important. In Hebrew numerology the number 7 represents completion or perfection. God created the world in 6 days, and rested on the seventh. The Jewish week had 7 days. Shabbat occurred every seven days. Noah brought 7 pairs of clean animals on the ark. The number Seven is the most important symbolic number in the Hebrew Bible. It conveys wholeness, perfection and for the Jew it came to represent holiness.
It could be a coincidence, but I do think it’s interesting that Jesus says “I AM” 7 times in the gospel of John. He is God in the flesh, He came to make us complete, and whole.
He came to make us holy. Seven times, He says, “I AM.” With that in mind, let’s look at the last time He says this.
John 18
Jesus has just finished a lengthy discussion with His apostles at the last supper. He goes to the garden where He knows that He will be arrested.
Verse 3 tells us, “So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them.“
Look at the very next verse, “When Jesus said to them, ‘I am he,’ they drew back and fell to the ground.” This claim is made as a blatant show of divine power. A band of heavily armed men have shown up to arrest Jesus. Jesus asks who they were there for, and they respond “Jesus of Nazareth.”
His self-identification in verse 6 does something incredible. Every last Pharisee, Roman soldier, and chief priest stumbled back and fell to the ground when Jesus spoke the words “I AM HE.” At His spoken word, these men are blown back.
It’s interesting that this same apostle wrote later of the power of the LOGOS.
So why did John record this? They came to arrest Jesus with weapons. Christ was clear that He knew what would happen, and He chose to cooperate with God’s plan. This moment highlights His sovereignty, reminding everyone that nothing happens to Him which is beyond His own control.
He WILLINGLY gave Himself because no man can destroy the I AM. But the I AM can sacrifice Himself.
Humans have a tendency to project their own weaknesses onto others. We are all guilty of this. Sometimes that carries over to our prayers — can Jesus forgive me, even with how I’ve failed him over and over? Sometimes we find it hard to forgive others, so we may assume Jesus feels the same when we beg his forgiveness. We’re only forgiven to the extent that we forgive others, but it seems we (that includes me) project our human weakness onto Jesus.
Jesus is still human, but perfect. He’s human, but at God’s right hand. He’s human, so he understands and feels for our weakness. “We have a better high priest, one who understands our weakness, even though he never sinned.” Jesus gets it! It must’ve been a miserable few decades in a constant war with himself. He was tempted every single way that we are, but never made a mistake.
How many people do you know who are tempted by everything? Most of us have a few weaknesses, and those are hard enough to manage. But imagine being tempted by every single thing that had ever or would ever tempt a human! Jesus understands, even though he never sinned. That’s our perfect high priest! He can say to the father, “I understand how difficult [your temptation here] is to face.”
Jesus is better because he knows what we go through, he’s experienced it all, and he never once made a mistake. He didn’t do that to make us feel inadequate — though we are all inadequate by ourselves — but to help us when we fall. Jesus is better because he’s a high priest who can empathize with every human on the planet, and he lives to do just that for us!
Genesis 14 is more than a Sunday morning Scripture-reader’s nightmare (though the first ten verses would intimate the most golden-tongued!). We are introduced to an obscure, enigmatic character whom David and the writer of Hebrews will compare to Christ. However, what is the background of this King of Salem and his important encounter with Abram?
There is a local war around the Salt Sea, “four kings against five” (9). The cause of the conflict is the rebellion of the kings of the valley (Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela) against Chedorlaomer, who had conquered all the nations in the region–the Rephaim, the Zuzim, the Emim, the Horites, the Amalekites, and the Amorites (4-7). The confederation of the valley kings “arrayed for battle against” Chedorlaomer and his allies (1) “in the valley of Siddim” (8). The kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, Bera and Birsha, died in the tarpits of Siddim as they fled from the invaders’ army, and the rest of the army of the five kings fled to the hill country (10).
Chedorlaomer and his allies plunder all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and take Lot, the women, and the people of his house along with his possessions (11-12,16). An escapee tells Abram what happens, and the patriarch musters his allies and his own personal army to get his nephew and his house back safely (13-15). He has a battle plan, dividing his forces and attacking at night, and they defeat the invader in what is modern-day Syria (15-16). On multiple occasions, I have visited the ruins at Dan and have seen the so-called “Abraham Gate.” It dates back at least as far as Abraham’s day, almost 2000 years before Christ.
(My photo of the “Abraham Gate,” March 2018)
After rescuing Lot and his house and goods, Abram is met by a priest named Melchizedek (18). The Holy Spirit, through the author of Hebrews, uses Genesis 14:17-20 and Psalm 119:4, and this one incident with Abraham to drive home an incredibly powerful point. Jesus is a High Priest, not like the Levites who descended from Aaron, but like this obscure figure, Melchizedek.
The Bible uses a literary device called an antitype. “From the Greek antitupos, which occurs in Heb. 9:24 and 1 Pet. 3:21, where the AV translates it ‘figure.’ An antitype is the substance of which a type is the shadow, or the fulfilment of that which the type foreshadowed” (Cairns, Alan. Dictionary of Theological Terms 2002: 33). The antitype is always the greater; the type is always lesser and represents in some way the greater. So, Melchizedek is a type of Christ. He himself was greater than the Levitical priesthood in the ways we read in Hebrews 7, but the specific attributes we read about Melchizedek in this chapter are more fully and greatly found in Jesus.
What are the specific types?
His position (18; Heb. 7:1). He is the king and priest of the Most High God. As king, he is king of righteousness and king of peace (2).
His preeminence (20; Heb. 7:2,4-5). Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek, signifying the greater prominence of the priest over the patriarch.
His perpetuity (Psa. 110:4; Heb. 7:3). “Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.” None of Melchizedek’s ancestors or descendants filled this role, so in that way “he remains a priest perpetually.”
His purpose (19; Heb. 7:6-7). Melchizedek blessed the one who had the promises, an indication of his greater position and authority.
His precursory place (Heb. 7:8-11). Melchizedek lived many generations before Aaron, through whom the Levitical priesthood descended. Aaron was still in “Abraham’s loins,” meaning that Abraham did not have children yet. Much later, he would sire Isaac, who beget Jacob, etc., until finally Aaron was born through this genealogy.
In the way that Melchizedek served as greater than Levi, Jesus more fully and greatly serves as greater than Levi. If it were a math problem, we would say Levi < Melchizedek < Christ. Obviously, then, Levi < Christ. The writer of Hebrews, in chapter seven, draws some conclusions about this type of Christ. Because Christ is the antitype of Melchizedek,
It makes sense that perfection comes from His priesthood rather than the Levitical priesthood of Judaism (11).
There needed to be a change of laws (from Moses’ to Christ’s)(12).
It is right that this greater High Priest comes from a different tribe in which none had or could have served as priest (13-14).
Christ serves as priest “not on the basis of a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life” (15-17).
He sets aside the old law and brings in a better hope (18-19).
He was appointed High Priest by means of the oath of God (20-21).
He has become the guarantee of a better covenant (22).
He does not die, but continues forever as High Priest (23-24).
He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him (25-28).
It is this last truth, concerning His salvation, where the author draws out several incredible points for our consideration. It is the crescendo of his “Melchizedek argument.” His work is unparalleled–He always makes intercession for us (25). His character is unparalleled–He is holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens (26). His sacrifice and offering is perfect (27). His oath is unparalleled–He is a Son, made perfect forever (28).
Of all the ways the writer establishes the superiority of Christ over all rivals, this one is the most interesting to me. It shows the masterful way God weaves events and Scripture together. The writer of Hebrews is making the point that the Levitical priesthood has been replaced by something better. Why would you exchange the superior for the inferior?
After this encounter, which seems relatively insignificant until David and the writer of Hebrews later expound upon it, Abram refuses to enrich himself by the unsavory people of Sodom. The new King of Sodom only wants the people, but offers Abram to keep all the returned spoils from Chadorlaomer. Abram will have no part in that, taking only provisions necessary for the completed battle. Abram will continue to rely on God’s promises to take care of his needs, and he parts company with the king of this wicked domain.
(Picture taken on March 10, 2018, running at the Dead Sea with Keith Kasarjian)
I have been seeing this 15-second commercial on TV recently. It is a picture of the sky above the clouds and the words, “When you die, are you going to heaven or not? You can know for sure. Heaven or not.net.”
Purchasing commercial time is very expensive. Someone is dedicated, and the subject matter could not be more important! As an ’80s song put it, we are living in a material world. Many do not think deeply enough about what happens after this life. A website dedicated to the very subject had me hopeful.
Visiting the website, I was impressed with the number of Scriptures used and the effort to use the Bible for every single point made. They cover the biblical explanation for our origin, the reliability of Scripture, the problem of sin, the sacrifice of Christ, and the need of salvation. I say biblical because they cite Scripture in each of these subject areas.
Please believe me when I say that I want to endorse and commend this website. I do not know who is behind it, other than the site “God Life,” a well-put-together website full of resources. But there were at least two erroneous statements made which contradict what the Bible teaches.
First, they claim that we are born with sin. Introducing the problem of sin, they write, “That makes it (heaven, NP) a problem for us…because we sin. It is our heritage. We are born with it.” We are born into a sinful world. Eventually, every one of us make the choice to sin. Their next statement, Romans 3:23, is correct. But it is different to say that “all have sinned” and that we are all born with sin. Ezekiel 18:4,20 state the truth that the son does not “bear the punishment of the father’s iniquity.” Teaching that we are born in sin is communicating the false idea that we inherit Adam’s sin. We surely inherit a fallen world because of his choice (Rom. 5:12), but as surely do not inherit his guilt. Our guilt comes through our own accountability. A newborn or small child is not accountable.
Second, their suggested remedy for addressing our sin problem in order to go to heaven is one of the most egregious religious errors formulated by religious people: “the sinner’s prayer.” They urge the reader to pray, “Dear God…I know I have sinned against you. Please forgive me. I receive Jesus…your only Son…right now as Savior of my life…having died to pay for my sins. Thank you for forgiving my sins…and for my new life.I pray this prayer in Jesus’ holy name, Amen!”
They are right to say that going to heaven means “you have to receive God’s gift of forgiveness and acceptance,” but wrong to suggest something that we have no biblical teaching or example for. The very first time Jesus was preached and the listeners asked what they should do, Peter could have given the counsel in the paragraph above. But he did not. He called for repentance and baptism (Acts 2:38), and those who gladly received the word did just that (Act 2:41). Please consider Mark 16:16, John 3:3-5, Acts 22:16, Romans 6:1-4, Galatians 3:26-27, Ephesians 4:4-6, Colossians 2:12, Titus 3:5, and 1 Peter 3:21.
All these passages show us that receiving God’s gift of forgiveness and acceptance goes beyond saying a prayer. It requires doing what people did in the first-century, when the gospel began to be preached and people first sought to do what they were taught. We need biblical example and teaching to adequately answer these sincere people’s powerful question.
As a global learner, I enjoy having background noise serve as the soundtrack to my life. It could be music or a talking head providing news or opinions. I can block out the details and rely on the background noise to keep me going. In addition to learning strategies, individuals with ADHD like myself find certain grooves oddly exhilarating, similar to an energy drink. I frequently run errands on Thursdays each week, and this week was no exception. Therefore, it was inevitable that I would have my “symphony” supporting me. Amid the hustle and bustle, I heard a headline stating that more than half of American “clergy” have considered quitting since 2020 (see Blair, 2024).
Whenever I encounter such information, I look into it further. After I finished my errands, I looked up an article about the subject online. For the sake of brevity, the study concluded that the changing religious landscape following the pandemic was the primary source of discontent. These “clergy” have claimed that the pandemic has made it more difficult for them to interact with congregations and that the decline in in-person attendance depresses them. According to the demographics of those surveyed, the so-called Silents (born 1925–1945) and Generation X (born 1965–1980) are less likely to want to quit than Millenials (born 1981–1996) and Baby Boomers (born 1946–1964). Catholic and Orthodox ministers were less likely to feel this way than Protestants.
These attention-grabbing headlines no doubt fill our hearts with existential dread. However, we must realize Jesus’ promise that even death could not prevail against His Church (Matthew 16.18). One knows that regardless of how dire things in the world may seem, there are always those not bowing the knee to Baal (1 Kings 19.18). Hence, Satan could be the author of such headlines designed to discourage the faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. Satan whispers, “You are all alone in your devotion. And would a loving God truly expect you to shoulder these burdens alone?”
But lest we grow too comfortable, we are reminded of Jesus’ words following the Parable of the Unjust Judge, also known as The Persistent Widow (Luke 18.1–8). Jesus asked, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” I know that contextually, Jesus is asking if His followers will have the faith to pray. At least, other preachers often say this as they exegete Luke 18.8. Well, yes. But is it so tidily summed up in the one word “prayer”? Jesus’ question is whether people will continue to believe and be faithful, even in the face of delays or challenges, just as the widow was persistent in her pursuit of justice. As a result, we can interpret this verse as an encouragement to keep the faith and pray, even when justice appears slow, or God’s promises appear delayed. It expresses a theme of perseverance and faithfulness in the Christian life, particularly in light of Jesus’ return.
Jesus expressed concern about whether He would find faithful followers upon His return. The followers can show their faithfulness to Him by exercising their faith through prayer. Unfortunately, people prefer tangible things over intangible ones, leading to practical materialism and a lack of faith. Additionally, scientific advancements may encourage disbelief by providing natural explanations. The hurried, self-centered, and financially motivated nature of the modern age can also undermine faith, which requires quiet contemplation. Faith is a moral quality rooted in the heart, not just an intellectual asset. It grows by living a righteous life, feeding on Biblical promises, and putting one’s limited faith into practice. Therefore, building faith requires setting aside regular quiet time for meditation and communing with God. Faith progresses through continual moral effort.
We are currently living in a time where people are hesitant to return to the Church after the pandemic, which was a time of isolation and a shift in priorities for many. In addition, those who provide moral leadership face challenges, feeling a growing temptation to step away from their roles. This combination of factors is worrisome in response to our Lord’s probing question in Luke 18.8. This study paints a concerning picture of the future of spiritual commitment and the resilience of faith communities.
However, despite these challenges, there remains a beacon of hope. The persistence of faith, even in a few, can be a powerful testament to the enduring nature of spiritual commitment. In the face of adversity, the true strength of faith often emerges, not just in the tranquility of prosperous times but in the tumult of trials. To answer Jesus’ question and reaffirm enduring faith and commitment, faith communities must explore ways to nurture resilience and adapt and thrive.
In today’s world, we face various challenges that can test the foundations of our faith communities. Distractions and the effects of global pandemics can make it difficult to hold onto our beliefs. However, these challenges can also provide opportunities for spiritual growth and renewal. Jesus’ question in Luke 18.8 invites us to deepen our faith, pray more persistently, and live out our beliefs with renewed vigor and commitment. As believers, we all have a unique role in this ongoing faith journey. Instead of seeing our challenges as insurmountable obstacles, let us embrace them as catalysts for strengthening our collective resolve. Doing so ensures that Jesus will find a thriving and active faith on earth when He returns.
With his next use of “toledoth” (generation), Moses gives the background for all the nations. Everyone on earth today has descended from one of these three men–Ham, Shem, or Japheth. This table of nations is both informative and important. One can consult various commentaries (Kenneth Matthews has a twenty-page discussion in the New American Commentary, while Kurt Strassner has a much more concise breakdown in the Opening Up Commentary series) of the nations which descended from these three men.
The latter ties today’s Eastern Europe to Japheth (10:2-5), North Africa and the Middle East (on the southern and eastern coasts of the Mediterranean) to Ham (10:6-19), and the dominant nations of the Middle East to Shem (10:21-31)(51). But there is more to this list than a geography and ethnic studies lesson. Moses is setting the reader up for the material he will share in the next chapter, when the people of earth will disperse and settle in various places ( see 5,11,18, etc.).
The observation of Reyburn and Fry is correct when they say, “This follows a pattern that is repeated a number of times in Genesis, in which the individuals and their descendants who are not in the line chosen by God are mentioned first, while those who are in the chosen line are mentioned last, and the story then continues with them” (Handbook, 228). You see that first in Genesis 4-5, and you will see it again in Genesis 10-11. There are a few matters of note which Moses lays out in giving this genealogical record.
First, he mentions the mighty hunter, Nimrod (8-12). He is so renowned for these skills that subsequent great hunters were likened to him. Look up “hunter” in the dictionary and one of its synonyms is “nimrod.” He will be listed in the genealogies of 1 Chronicles 1:10, then in the prophetic work of Micah (5:6). Yet, more important than his skill is the place he settled. Though Moses would not have to deal directly with them, the Assyrians would factor prominently in the later history of Israel. The foreknowledge of God is at work here, informing the people of God of the “genesis” of this wicked enemy. Verses ten through twelve unambiguously mention not only Babel (i.e., Babylon–another later, even stronger enemy), but Nineveh and Assyria. These are kingdoms and lands built by Nimrod.
See also more local enemies which would plague Moses’ ancestors, Moses himself, and Moses’ descendants. He mentions where the original inhabitants of the promised land originated. Ham’s descendants would give us the Canaanites, Amorites, Hivites, Jebusites, and Girgashites (13-17), along with the other thorns in the people’s sides. Soon, Moses will be moved by God’s Spirit to share His promise to Abraham concerning the ultimate expulsion of these people in favor of his descendants (15:18ff).
Among others of Ham’s descendants are the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah, who will also feature prominently in the narrowing focus on Shem’s (8th great-grandson), Abraham (19). They will grow so wicked that God destroys them. Here, we are simply taught of their origin.
Moses is setting up the reader for one family among all the nations, while giving us five generations of Seth (Shem, Arpachsad, Shelah, Eber, and Peleg; see ch. 11). In this accounting, Moses is more interesting in giving us the rest of the descendants of Shem before he rivets in on Abraham’s line. One other interesting line, nestled in those genealogies of Shem, is the statement made about Peleg. “In his days the earth was divided” (25). While many take this to refer to the incident at Babel, when the inhabitants were socially divided, it is also possible that this refers to a breaking up of the continents into a continental drift. A study of earth’s major land masses shows a complementary form between those separated by seas and oceans. Robert Utley tells us, “The Hebrew term literally means ‘irrigation canals’ which would fit southern Mesopotamia, but the popular etymology is ‘divisions’” (How It All Began, 123). Given the ambiguity of the word in this context, no one should be dogmatic about either position.
Isn’t it incredible all the layered, even subtle, discoveries possible when studying even apparently obscure, mundane chapters of the Bible? This rich book is full of discoveries waiting for the Bible student to find by mining its inspired veins. With this listing, Moses gets down to the more specific interest of his inspired record.
Old System — Priest had to make a sacrifice for himself first, because he’s fallible, too.
New System — Jesus was a perfect sacrifice; he never made a mistake.
Old System — Priest was mortal, so his viewpoint was confined to his lifespan, altitude, and number of people he knew.
New System — Jesus came from an all-knowing, immortal father. His perspective spans all of time, and he has a bird’s-eye view of all of earth.
Old System — Priest had to bring blood that didn’t belong to him. In fact, it was just the blood of an animal. That wasn’t enough to forgive everyone’s mistakes!
New System — Jesus brought his own blood, which has enough power to forgive anyone who seeks him.
Old System — Priest had to make sacrifices constantly, both on a regular schedule, and whenever someone brought a sin offering.
New System — Jesus made one sacrifice, which was and remains all we need.
Old System — Priest could only enter the most special place one time per year.
New System — Jesus lives to enter the father’s presence every single time we pray.
Old System — No sin could really be forgiven, and every sin required restitution.
New System — Our sins are completely forgiven, and Jesus keeps us pure with his own blood.
We might take this new system for granted, but our king Jesus is the most perfect high priest. We will live forever because of what he’s done (and continues to do) for us!
God Brought A Flood Upon The World Of The Ungodly (7:1-24)
Neal Pollard
In Genesis 5:32, Noah was 500 years old when blessed with his sons. Here, in verse six, he is 600 years old when he and his family enter the ark. In that 100 years, he learns of God’s resolve to destroy the earth with water and receives his commission to build the ark. Peter says he also preached righteousness (2 Pet. 2:5) during an age of utter unrighteousness (6:5).
Noah: The Ideal Candidate (1-10)
Can you imagine a commendation like Noah receives? Already given a glowing tribute in Genesis 6:8-9, this chapter begins with this further compliment: “Enter the ark, you and all your household, for you alone I have seen to be righteous before Me in this time” (1). So, he is ideal because of his character. Apparently, his family shares at least the influence of his righteousness (7).
He is also ideal because of his obedience. This is how he proves his character. Three times in this chapter, Moses says Noah obeyed what God commanded (5,9,16). In the first reference, he puts it that “Noah did according to all that the Lord had commanded him” (5). See that as he fulfills what God calls for regarding taking clean animals (2-7), taking in the animals two by two (8-9). See it in what was previously observed, regarding the many commands he obeyed in constructing the ark (Gen. 6).
He is ideal because he seems to do everything without debate and resistance. This dutiful submission is unlike the response of even many of the Bible’s greatest heroes, including the inspired author of Genesis! Read through this entire account and every inspired reflection on his life and see if there is any questioning of God’s wisdom or His plan. Instead, “By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith” (Heb. 11:7).
The Rest Of Humanity: Subjects Of Judgment (11-24)
After the graphic account of the wickedness of humanity (6:5-7), we have an almost matter-of-fact accounting of their destruction and that of the rest of creation. The rains and floods that saved the family of Noah (7,13,16) served to obliterate what was outside. Peter writes, “the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished” (2 Pet. 3:4-5).
Moses tells us “the water” six times from verse 17 to 24. It prevailed and it increased and covered the earth. “The earth perished” as the result of that (21). All flesh (21)… died (22). “He blotted out every living thing…from the earth” (23). The “crime” is in chapter six and the “consequence” is in chapter seven. So it ever is (Rom. 6:23).
Chapter eight chronicles humanity’s reemergence from this destruction and judgment. God accomplishes this and preserves His promise through the hero of this account. He will not be a perfect man, but he will be a pliable man ready to do God’s will. First, though, God had to judge the iniquity of this world. He plans to do that one more time. Remember, “But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed” (2 Pet. 3:7-10). We are encouraged to be Noahs in a world destined for destruction! Like him, we can be rescued through God’s plan.
Again, understanding that chapter divisions are man-made, we should appreciate that the individuals covered in the first seven verses of this chapter are part of the “toledoth” (generations/descendants) of Adam (4:1-5:1). Moses gives the genealogies of the first ten generations from Adam to Noah, and it is at Noah that the examination of lineages splits. Adam’s descendants, apart from Noah, give us the lamentable conditions we read about in the opening verses of chapter six. Noah is a stark contrast to all of that, as we will see. Also keep in mind that the problems we read about can be traced back to when men began to multiply on the face of the land (1). These circumstances had been building from early on and only came to a climax in the days of Noah.
The earthly wickedness (1-5)
The problem with man was not their procreating and proliferating (1,4). Neither was the problem the fact that women were beautiful and men were attracted to them (2). The problem was not their might or renown (4). The problem originated in their hearts (5) and permeated into their lives, which Moses dubs great wickedness (5).
Perhaps the subject of greatest fascination revolves around the identity of “the sons of God.” Maybe the oldest interpretation among Jewish scholars is that these are angels. “Sons of God” elsewhere in the Old Testament refer to angels (Job 1:6; 2:1; Psa. 29:1; 89:6; Dan. 3:25). Added to that is an apparent connection made by Peter and Jude to these circumstances in Genesis six, where angels are discussed (2 Pet. 2:4-5; Jude 6). We should be careful about putting too much on the meaning of “Nephilim,” which is difficult to precisely define and is as likely “warrior-like people” as the offspring of fallen angels and humans (see Peterson, Lexham Bible Dictionary, np).
There is also a good argument to be made that this is a spiritual designation rather than a reference to a literal cohabitation between angels who assumed flesh and Adam’s descendants. Saying it this way (sons of God and daughters of men), it lays a foundation for how Noah stands out from the wicked others of his time. The line of Adam (and Cain) spread their corrupting influence until the situation grew to the grim point we are reading about.
Whichever answer is ultimately correct, the point seems to be the impact of living enslaved to the flesh rather than pursuing righteousness. Moses describes a moral erosion that had reached its zenith. Something had to be done.
The heavenly sentence (6-7)
Moses shifts attention from the earthly iniquity to the heavenly response. This is evident before verse six. First, “the Lord said” He was not going to let this continue as it was (3). Second, “the Lord saw” the depraved condition in Noah’s day (5). This leads to the assessment in verse six: “The Lord was sorry that He had made man….” Thus, “the Lord said” He would destroy all flesh (7). Man was acting like a beast, driven by lust. Thus, God was going to destroy mankind along with the rest of all flesh (11-13). This is not some impetuous response from a petulant being. God is long-suffering, and He will show it for a century longer while Noah preaches and builds the ark (1 Pet. 3:20). He had patiently endured, but men had exhausted His patience. What a sobering thought, that there is a point where the all-powerful God’s patience is completely used up!
The righteous exception (8-22)
In light of the seeming promise to save mankind through the seed of woman (3:15), we are reminded of the character of God. As a perfect being, He will keep His word. Satan will be crushed! The vast majority of mankind would be judged and destroyed, “but Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord” (8).
Noah had exceptional character (9). He is said to be “righteous” (innocent; in the right). He is “blameless in his time” (complete; having integrity). He walked with God, a phrase always indicating fellowship and harmony with God (see 5:24-26).
Noah had exceptional opportunity (13ff). God spoke to him directly, sharing His plans and intentions with this righteous patriarch. He was warned by God concerning things that had not happened, and the writer of Hebrews says he believed God (Heb. 11:7). He had access to God’s Word and he shared that word with others (2 Pet. 2:5).
Noah had exceptional faith (14-22). That faith is demonstrated by his obedience (22). “According to all that God had commanded him, so he did.” God gives Noah at least eleven commands: “make” (14), “make” (14), “cover” (14), “make” (16), “finish” (16), “set” (16), “make” (16), “enter” (18), “bring” (19-20), “take” (21), and “gather” (21). There was nothing God required which Noah failed to do. He was not perfect, but his faith was resilient and unwavering.
It’s a new year. For many it’s an opportunity at a new beginning – a fresh start, a second chance. I want to begin tonight with a lighthearted story about how a couple of second chances helped me.
When I was about 5 or 6 my older brother unintentionally tried to kill me, at least twice. The first time, we were outside playing, and we found these large bushes, pokeweed. These plants and the berries are poisonous, but we didn’t know that. I read that if you cook the leaves and berries properly, you can eat them. However, what you shouldn’t do, especially as a small child, is convince your younger brother to eat a handful of these berries. I googled for curiosity’s sake how many berries were dangerous, and it said that as few as 10 would make the average adult sick with all kinds of symptoms or some reports even said death. We went to the house and my mother knew exactly what I had done, the evidence was smeared all over my hands and my face. She called poison control, and they told her to give me this syrup that would make me sick to my stomach and I’d throw up the berries. Sure enough about 45 mins later – no more berries.
The second time was a little more serious. We had this storage building out back, it had a small lean-to shed on the back side. One of the sides was perfect for climbing on. Since we were expert climbers my brother had the idea – let’s get up on that roof so we can see everything better. We shimmied our way up the side and made it up onto the roof. If that had been the end of the story that would’ve been great…but wait, there’s more. My brother noticed something coming from the side of the building. He was referring to the electrical service, and the power lines that were coming off the pole and into the side of the storage building. “I wonder what happens if you touch those?” Listen guys I’m smart it just hadn’t kicked in yet. So yeah, I walked over and grabbed them and believe me when I say they grabbed me right back. I’ve told this story 100 times and everyone seems shocked and surprised, but I can assure you, not nearly as much I was!!
Second chances are given to us all the time and come in a variety of ways. They happen in our everyday lives, our careers, our marriages, relationships with our families our friends, and our relationship with God. God gives us second chances because he loves us, and he knows us and knows we need them.
God is a God of second chances. Throughout the Bible we study about people who have sinned or made mistakes, altered their courses in life but are still given a second chance by God.
1. For example, Jonah had fled from what God had commanded him to do yet was given a second opportunity to go to Nineveh and spread His word to the people. (Jonah 3:1-10).
2. David was a man after God’s own heart, yet he turned away from Him when he committed adultery with Bathsheba, had Uriah killed, then his son died because of the evil he had done (II Samuel 11 and 12) but still God loved him, and he was a great king.
3. Rahab was a prostitute. She didn’t live a wholesome life, but she changed the course of her life when she did something for good. She hid the spies in Jericho. When the city was destroyed, she was rewarded. Only she and her family were saved. (Joshua 6:22-23)
4. Paul once was a persecutor of Christians (Acts 8:1-3). He was converted into a Christian and baptized (Acts 9:18). He became one of the most influential missionaries, authors, and apostles of the first century.
5. Onesimus was once deemed useless. After being given a second chance Paul describes him as beloved servant, and brother to him. He was willing to do anything for him, even pay his debts. (Philemon 11-17)
The list could go on and on. The point is that God’s love, his mercy, and by His grace through faith, we can all be saved (Eph. 2: 4-8). God forgives our sins and gives us a fresh start. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:9) Every day we wake up is another chance to make changes. God’s steadfast love never ceases, his mercies never come to end, they are new every morning. (Lamentations 3:22-23)
As important as it is that we don’t forget about God giving us second chances, Let’s not forget we are to extend second chances to others. We all have family, friends, coworkers, even sometimes church family that we don’t always see eye to eye with. We don’t need to settle for division, we need to strive for unity. (1 Peter 3:8) As Jesus taught, we are to forgive others as we have been forgiven (Matthew 6:14-15). We are also encouraged to show kindness, love, and grace to others – just as God has shown us (Ephesians 4:32).
God’s second chances are such a blessing to us. We need them, he knows that we do. He’s not a mean God, “He doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve, or repay us according to our iniquities” (Psalms 103:10). He doesn’t want us to fail, but second chances aren’t meant to be free passes for us to keep returning to sin. (Romans 6:23) “ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” He sent his son to die for us so that we could have as many chances as we need to make things right and grow closer to him before its too late.
Each new morning the sun rises, God is giving us a second chance. A chance to improve our lives, mend broken relationships, work on those New Year’s resolutions – that I hope we haven’t already broken. This year let’s not squander our second chances, but instead savor them. Let’s make the most of those opportunities to do good, to do things that glorify God, and that will help us walk closer to him. If 2023 just wasn’t the year for whatever reasons, then begin this year on the right foot. Let 2024 be your second chance.
Not only did chapter one help with the question of where we came from, but it also gives crucial insight into who we are. Genesis 1:27 teaches us more than the nature of the Godhead. It tells us something about ourselves. We are made in the image of God, in His likeness (5:1)! There is a part of us reflecting God! I agree that “God’s image obviously does not consist in man’s body which was formed from earthly matter, but in his spiritual, intellectual, moral likeness to God from whom his animating breath came” (TWOT, 768).
Certainly, what Moses wrote in Genesis 1:27 helps us appreciate the additional clarification yielded from the first use of the Hebrew “teledoth” (account, NASB, NLT, NIV; “history,” NKJ; “generations,” ESV) in Genesis 2:4. This is a peg Moses drives down to separate his inspired account into significant sections. I have an excellent chart from Donnie Bates dividing up the book of Genesis, using “teledoth” as a textual marker.
1:1-4:26–The generations of the heavens and the earth
5:1-6:8–The descendants of Adam
6:9-9:29–The descendants of Noah
10:1-11:9–The descendants of the sons of Noah
11:10-11:26–The descendants of Shem
11:27-25:11–The descendants of Terah (Abraham’s father)
25:12-25:18–The descendants of Ishmael
25:19-35:29–The descendants of Isaac
36:1-37:1–The descendants of Esau
37:2-50:26–The descendants of Jacob
(Syllabus handout for “Genesis,” Bear Valley Bible Institute)
In the midst of unfolding “the generations of the heavens and the earth,” Moses centers on the creation of man and woman. Notice how he does so.
Preparing the earth for man (2:4-6). After speaking of the earth 21 times from Genesis 1:1-2:1, Moses speaks of it five times in these three verses. In context, the shrubs and the plants to be cultivated from the ground served a purpose. They would provide food for man (15-17). There is a sense in which man’s being in God’s likeness is demonstrated in his place and dominion over the whole earth (1:28-30; 2:16,19-20). As God is over everything, He delegated authority to man over the earth. Of course, God is the sustainer and provider of what the universe needs to continue to operate (Mat. 5:45; Acts 14:17; Col. 1:17), but man was created to be a steward of its resources. Incidentally, there was at least a time when God did not send rain but rather mist from the ground for its provision (6).
Creating man from the earth (2:7). There is also a unity or harmony between man and the earth. God created the ground, then He formed man from the dust of the ground. He breathed life into man’s nostrils and man became a living being. The word translated “being” (soul) here seems to be used to speak of his having life and animation. The Bible clearly teaches there is an everlasting part of a person, but that’s not Moses’ purpose in this verse. Moses is describing how the first man came to life. The same word is used of “living creatures” (1:20-21; cf. 2:19).
Fitting man for the earth (2:8-15). Moses goes to great lengths to speak more of God’s provisions for man’s habitation of the earth. He planted a garden and trees for man’s dwelling place (8-9). He provided rivers to water the garden (10), and it flowed out of the garden in four tributaries–Pishon, Gihon, Tigris and Euphrates (11-14). James Smith notes, “The author seems to be describing the geography of ancient Sumer just north of the Persian Gulf in what is present-day Iraq. Ancient pagan legend remembered a paradise at the northern end of the Persian Gulf” (The Pentateuch, OT Survey Series, 59). Associated with these geographical markers, Moses makes the first mention of money (11-12). Man’s job is to care for the earth prepared by God for him (15).
Preparing man for his time on earth (2:16-17). God does more than give man physical purpose. He is giving him spiritual boundaries. Moses includes this command about the “forbidden fruit” to show God’s loving nature in creating man with the ability to choose. At this point, evil is not part of man’s consciousness nor has it stained his soul, but it exists as the opposite of the “good” that God created (see Moses’ repeated use of “good” in chapter one). Man would have to choose to leave the “good” of sinlessness, but that was a choice from the beginning. What Paul says of the Gentiles is true, ultimately, of everyone since Adam: “In the generations gone by He permitted all the nations to go their own way” (Acts 14:16).
Giving man what the earth alone could not give him (2:18-25). Of course, God knew what man needed before man had an opportunity to even discover it. God determined to give man a “helper suitable for him” (18). He presents all the animals for Adam to name, and among these there is no “suitable helper” (19-20). It is not incidental that God created woman from man. He could have formed her from the dust of the ground, the same as man but apart from him. But, denoting the intimate connection He intended, He makes her from him (21-22). As has been noted, is there anatomical symbolism here? She was not taken from his head or his heel to rule over or be enslaved to him. She was a partner is truest sense, taken from his side.
Adam recognizes this and speaks a truth beyond just his circumstances (21-24). God teaches that gender is not fluid, but fixed (note the pronouns and description throughout the paragraph). God teaches the permanency of marriage (23-24), which Jesus will reference in restoring marriage under His covenant (Mat. 19:1-9). God gives the first allusion to the church, and Paul will draw on the analogy in Ephesians 5:22-33. God gives gender roles in the leadership of the church, hearkening back to this cross-cultural circumstance in 1 Timothy 2:8-15.
But there is more than doctrinal truth being instilled here. There is the most beautiful earthly relationship ever made by God, transcending every relationship except the one between a person and God! God knows our physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs. His original remedy for that was marriage! What a wise creator we serve!
The first chapter of the Bible’s 1189 provides a helpful reminder that chapter divisions are an act of man (Stephen Langton in 1227) rather than an act of God. Genesis 1:1-2:3 is the inspired record of the creation of the universe followed by a more intimate account of the creation of man (2:4-25). There is incredible structure in the way Moses records the making of the universe, showing the Creator to be a being of order and design.
The skeletal information of the chapter falls out easily enough:
The beginning (of the universe): God created a formless and void earth, and darkness as well as God’s Spirit were over the surface of the water (the deep)(1:1-2). Incidentally, isn’t the “end” implied with the word “beginning”? With perfect foreknowledge, God knew that this world would someday come to an end (see Isaiah 46:10).
Day one: God created light and separated the light from the darkness (1:3-5).
Day two: God created the sky (called the expanse–“beaten, [metal] plate, firmament (i.e. vault of heaven, understood as a solid dome)” (CHALOT, 347) (1:6-8).
Day three: God created dry land and vegetation (1:9-13).
Day four: God created sun, moon, and stars (1:14-19).
Day five: God created water animals and winged creatures (1:20-23).
Day six: God created mammals, reptiles, and man (1:24-31).
Day seven: God rested from all the work which He had done (2:1-3).
Another way to divide this account is through two words Moses uses. Days one through three record God “forming” (1:7) what had been “formless.” Days four through six record God “filling” (1:22,28) what He had “formed” (see Kurt Strasser, Opening Up Genesis, 20-21, for more on how he develops this idea). Despite those who wish to accommodate epochs of time and the theory of evolution “in the beginning,” we have the testimony of chapter one identifying each day of creation as a 24-hour period (5,8,13,19,23,31). The same writer, Moses, will look back on the creation in the establishment of the Sabbath, noting that God created the universe in six days (Ex. 20:11; 31:17). Do you find it interesting that civilizations everywhere throughout time have constructed their calendars and functions around the seven day week? It is sown into the fabric of creation!
We are impressed with God’s active involvement in the creation process (note the verbs–I count 38 in these 34 verses, actions God takes in these seven days of work). As we read the remainder of the Bible, we will appreciate how God remains active and involved with His creation and especially the pinnacle of His creation (1:27). Whether observation, speaking, or otherwise creating, we see God at work.
We are impressed by God’s “triune” nature as revealed in Genesis one. We see the second most common designation for God (2532; YHWH, God’s proper name occurs around 6800 times in the O.T.) and is used for divine beings, associated with might and strength and creation (from the first verse of Scripture). The Spirit of God is first referenced in verse two, and the plurality of personalities is clearly found in this inaugural chapter. How? “Elohim” is a plural noun each of the 35 times it appears in these first 34 verses. Further, as God discusses the creation of man among Himself (even saying it strains the limits of our comprehension), He says, “Let us make man….” (27). Not multiple Gods. The rest of Scripture will show us what it first introduced here. God has an essence and nature. Only One (only God) is all-powerful, all-knowing, uncaused, present everywhere all at once, perfect, sinless, etc. Yet, God is three distinct persons. Two are explicitly identified here (Father, Spirit). One is averred to be the agent of Creation elsewhere (John 1:3; 1 Cor. 8:6; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:2).
God’s first question for Job is a confession that He created the universe (Job 38:4). Israel sang about the creation (Psalm 104:4-5). Every New Testament writer but Jude (who still refers to events in Genesis) makes reference to the creation account. All divine revelation rests upon the truth of Genesis one. God permitted the universe to be and subsequent chapters will help us understand why.
