Tag: Moses

Hur The Hero

Hur The Hero

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Friday’s Column: Brent’s Bent

“Hur” appears three times in the Bible, all in the Old Testament. Many people have also heard of an extra-biblical Hur. This latter Hur is associated with the character “Judah Ben-Hur” from the film Ben-Hur. However, the character in the movie is not based on any of the men named “Hur” in the Bible. Instead, the author of Ben-Hur likely chose the name Judah Ben-Hur as a nod to the biblical Hurs. Still, the character in the movie is entirely made up, except for maybe their name, and has nothing to do with any of the men in the Bible named Hur.

Nehemiah mentions the least-known of the three in passing in Nehemiah 3.9. Hur was the father of Rephaiah, who was a leader in Jerusalem and fixed a part of the city’s walls while Nehemiah was in charge of rebuilding.

A Midianite king was another Hur in the Bible during Moses’ time. In the land of Shittim, the Midianites deceived God’s people, leading them into sexual immorality and idolatry. As a result, God gave Moses the command to exact vengeance on the Midianites and their chiefs: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba. As a result, the Israelites slaughtered every Midianite man, including all five commanders (Numbers 31.7–8). This battle was Moses’ last.

But the most famous Hur is found in the book of Exodus. He is said to be of the Judah tribe. Hur was probably in charge of the Israelites because Moses talks a lot about him in connection with Aaron, his brother, and the high priest of the Israelites. During the Israelites’ battle with the Amalekites, Hur was one of two men who supported Moses’ arms. Moses stood on a hill with his staff in hand and raised his arms in prayer when the Israelites were under attack from the Amalekites on their way to the Promised Land (Exodus 17.8–9). The Israelites were victorious as long as Moses raised his arms, but once he did, the Amalekites began to overtake the Israelites (Exodus 17.11). When Moses’ arms grew tired, he sat down on a stone, with Aaron and Hur standing beside him to support his arms. Joshua used the sword to defeat the Amalekite army as they did so (Exodus 17.12–13).

When Moses went to Mount Sinai to get the Ten Commandments, he gave Aaron and Hur the responsibility of caring for the people (Exodus 24:13–15). When Moses returned, he found the people worshiping a golden calf instead of the Lord. So Aaron created a golden calf (Exodus 32.2–4)!

We don’t know what role, if any, Hur played in this incident, but according to Jewish tradition, the people killed Hur because he tried to prevent idolatry. The story goes that when the Israelites murdered Hur, Aaron capitulated to the people out of fear. The Midrash says that Satan used Moses’ lateness to make the Israelites think that Moses had died. The terrified Israelites demanded that Aaron and Hur produce gods to lead them. Hur stood up and rebuked the people, reminding them of God’s miracles. People rose and killed him right away. As a result, Jewish tradition holds that the Israelites broke three commandments on the day of the Golden Calf, the last of which was the murder of Hur. Of course, there is no way to validate this Jewish tradition.

Still, this Jewish tradition may have come about to explain why Moses doesn’t talk about Hur after Exodus 32 and the golden calf. Hur’s name appears only once more in the Torah, within a genealogy. So, what became of Hur? Moses had again left him in charge with Aaron before ascending to the top of Mount Sinai. He was a man of some importance. So, it is odd that he seemingly evaporates.

The last time the Bible talks about Hur is when it says that he was the grandfather of Bezalel, the inspired craftsman who oversaw the building of the tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 31:1–11). Returning to Jewish tradition, it concludes with redemption. According to Rabbi Ohr Hachaim (1696–1743), the name Hur derives from the same root word as “freedom.” He explains that the Israelites were only finally freed from the stain of their sins with the golden calf through the tabernacle’s construction. Their penance for their sinful behavior that had driven God away was to build a house for God. In other words, Betzalel, Hur’s grandson, provided a way for the Israelites to atone for their sins, including his grandfather’s murder.

That is all very well, but it is a Jewish tradition. Moses’ inspired account is silent on whether or not God granted Hur’s grandson the task because of its symbolism. But we can draw some lessons from Hur’s life for today’s people.

The first application is that we must support those who do church work, whether leaders, evangelists, or servants. Hur may not have been able to fight the Amalekites, but he could help Moses, whose obedience brought the Israelites victory. We can inspire others. In this way, we should always appreciate our ability to influence Christ’s cause. The second application is that we can never know how our lives will affect God’s eternal plans. Hur may have made a small name for himself, but his grandson was in charge of building the Tabernacle and Ark of the Covenant. Thus, without Hur, there could have been no Betzalel. God could have chosen someone else for the job, but Betzalel was the one God chose. As a result, the good you’ve done in the world may live on in the person whose life you’ve touched.

Brother Flavil Nichols tells how a young woman’s baptism resulted in the conversion of over 21,000 people! She taught her husband to read, so he studied the Bible. That man became a preacher and converted another man, who also became a preacher. And that preacher was the one who baptized Flavil’s father, Gus Nichols. Because of this long chain of influence, one woman’s life has incredible value. How many people will eventually receive salvation as a result of her actions? It reminds you of the importance of one life in this world.

So, whether it’s helping other people with their work or leaving a mark on the world through our actions, one thing is sure: we must stay strong (1 Corinthians 15.58)! Paul’s message reminds us to remain steadfast in our work and not give up, while Hur’s example reminds us that even those who work behind the scenes can make a significant impact. Both teachings encourage us to stick with our goals and make a positive difference in the lives of those around us.

Yes, we must emulate Hur, the unsung hero.

Brent Pollard
If The Blind Lead The Blind

If The Blind Lead The Blind

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Sunday’s Column: Learning From Lehman

Kason Eubanks

In Matthew 15:14, Jesus said, “If the blind lead the blind both will end up falling in a pit.” Moses taught Joshua and Joshua knew what to do, but now Joshua would have to go without Moses. Joshua could still be a successful leader without Moses being with him, as long as he followed the way Moses set for him. I have three points to share with you today.

The first one is that God was with him. In Joshua 1, towards the end of verse 5, God said as he was with Moses he will always be with Joshua. Let’s say you just started a new job and have no idea what you’re doing. Your boss is never there and your coworkers don’t know what to do either. The job wouldn’t be a good job and you would be very unsuccessful. Joshua had to remember that God was with him because he had seen all the things that Moses had done when God was with Moses. Just as Moses had done, Joshua could do the same things with God by his side. In Matthew 28:20, just like with Joshua, God promises to be with us.

The second point is that Joshua had to be strong and courageous. According to Webster’s dictionary, courage means the quality of mind that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., with firmness and without fear. On your job during the week you go through pain but you know what’s coming at the end of it so you go through anything to get that paycheck. Going back to the first point, God was with Joshua. Joshua should have had no fear because God was with him. Joshua 1:6-7 says “Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause these people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.” What we need to do is be like Joshua and learn from our parents or even other people in the congregation so that we can not only learn to do what is commanded but what we need to teach others. Joshua was not the only one who needed to be strong and courageous, we all do. Tom staltman is the world’s strongest man. He’s pretty strong but no one can match the strength of Christian’s if we follow God’s word.

The last point is that Joshua had to read the word of God regularly and stick with it. The reason he had to read and memorize the word was so that he could faithfully lead God’s people in the right direction. Joshua 1:7-8 says, “Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” 

If we read the word of God and meditate on it and remember it, we will be very successful in all that we do. I would like to end this point by reading a couple of passages. Psalm 1:1-2 tells us,  “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.“ And the other passage is Matthew 4:4, where Jesus answered, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

In Joshua 1, I would say the theme is obedience to God and his law. It is mentioned in verse 8 of the chapter that if we make our way prosperous we will be successful in all that we do.

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Darkness, Earthquakes, And The Dead Walking!

Darkness, Earthquakes, And The Dead Walking!

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Tuesday’s Column: Dale Mail

Dale Pollard

In Matthew 27 we find the start of what appears to be a mixture of supernatural and natural phenomena. 

Clearly, Matthew, Mark, and Luke (the inspired authors of the synoptic gospels) make an airtight case for the diety of Jesus. Additionally, three extra biblical historians validate their accounts as well: Thallus, Africanus (the name of Janelle’s and my future first born— I hope), and Phlegon. 

The Darkness 

“From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over the land.” Matt. 27.45 

Phlegon records in the 2nd Century AD, 

“…in the time of Tiberius Caesar, at full moon, there was a full eclipse of the sun from the sixth hour to the ninth—manifestly that one of which we speak. But what has an eclipse in common with an earthquake, the rending of rocks, and the resurrection of the dead, and so great a perturbation throughout the universe? Surely no such event as this is recorded for a long period. But it was a darkness induced by God, because the Lord happened then to suffer.”

Not that we need Phlegon to confirm what God told us three times, but it’s interesting! 

The Earthquake That Freed The Dead 

Beginning in v.51ff, an earthquake splits the veil in the temple. The veil wasn’t a thin piece of fabric either— it’s thickness was equivalent to a man’s hand. 

Next, the earthquake (used directly or providentially by God) cracks the circular stones open and the dead walk the earth. There’s some discussion over the identity of these “Saints” or “Holy ones” but it’s likely that they are followers of God who died in the past. Whether they were faithful servants that we read about in the Old Testament or followers of Jesus who were killed for their loyalty isn’t made clear in the text. My personal opinion on the matter is that they are Old Testament followers of God as this would indicate to “many” that a new Covenant or Testament is being fulfilled. These risen ancient followers would effectively convince those following the Jewish religion that Jesus is now who they should look to, and not Moses or Elijah (see the Transfiguration, Matt.17). 

The Timeline Of Events 

View One Of Chronology: 

“The dead rise with Christ.”

Matthew captures the magnitude of Jesus’ death on the cross by describing the abnormal events surrounding his death in chapter 27. It’s important that the reader keep in mind the goal of the letter, and that’s Jesus. The tombs splitting open, then, likely occurred during the death of Jesus. After three days, the dead would then emerge along with Jesus and appear to many. 

Matthew records what literally takes place, then, as well as alludes to the Day of His return. On that Day, all of the dead in Christ will rise. 

View Two Of Chronology: 

“The dead rose first before Jesus.”

The Bible is saturated in types and apocalyptic language. The New Testament brings a new light and depth to the things of the past. For instance, the flood account directs our minds to the second destruction of earth. The crossing of the Red Sea alludes to baptism. The blueprint of the tabernacle is symbolic of church and the entrance to her. 

With that in mind, 1 Thessalonians 4.16 says, 

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an Archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.”

This seems to indicate an order of resurrection. Those who followed God in life— rise first. This would fit beautifully with Matthew’s record of events in Matthew 27. 

View Three of Chronology: 

“The dead rise at the death of Christ, but enter Jerusalem three days later with Jesus.” 

The NIV suggests that the dead were resurrected when Jesus died and then went into Jerusalem after Jesus’ resurrection. A number of theologians and Christians agree with this view. 

Many others say that since Christ is the firstfruits of the dead (1 Cor. 15.22), then the resurrection did not occur until He was raised. This view takes the phrase “after Jesus’ resurrection” and then fits them with “…were raised to life and came out of the tombs.” This is possible in the Greek and is also hinted at in the KJV and the NASB. The tombs broke open at Christ’s death due to the earthquake, but the bodies were not raised till Christ was raised— which is the view I currently hold. 

A special thanks to Brittany Dyer for posing some interesting questions. She’s a committed student of the Bible and an excellent example to the Tompkinsville church of Christ family. 

Talking About Fear

Talking About Fear

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Saturday’s Column: Learning From Lehman

Travis Harrison

The fear I’m talking about is not the kind that tells us be cautious or keeps us from harm, it’s the kind that fills our hearts and minds with doubt, apprehension, and anxiety. When this fear keeps us from doing things that please God, things that he expects from us and commands of us, it is a big deal. 

When preparing for this I was given the advice that we should speak about things we are familiar with.  I say that because fear has kept me for a long time avoiding opportunities such as this. I have never given a devotional before tonight. It is because of that Fear I mentioned. This type of fear convinces us of things that aren’t true.  It convinces you that you’re not good enough to get up here and speak. You are not qualified or educated enough to speak to a group of people; you care too much about what people think of you and the things you say. It convinces you that you are terrible at public speaking, you won’t speak well, or say the right things. This is my personal fear, but all of us here tonight deal with fears that keep us from doing what God wants us to do and what pleases him.

A great biblical example of this is:

  • Moses,  in Exodus 3: 8-10 when God called him to go lead Israel out of Egypt and speak to pharaoh. 
  • In vs 11 you can tell he is afraid because he says, “who am I that I should go to pharaoh and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” God is quick to reassure Moses “I will certainly be with you.” 
  • He continues in chapter 4:1 to make excuses to God “what if they will not believe me or listen to my voice” So, God sent miraculous signs to help convince the people. 
  • In 4:10 he basically said I can’t speak “I’m not eloquent, I’m slow of speech and slow of tongue.”  So, God reminded him who made man’s tongue, have not I?! He then said He would be his mouth and teach him what to say. 
  • And finally in vs 13 he even asked the Lord to send someone else. We should never get to this point. 
  • We should always look to God, put our faith and trust in the Lord, because fear is not from God. He is a God of love and fear does not have to consume us. 
    • We should always trust in God when we are afraid. If we draw near to God, he will cast out that fear. In Isaiah 41:10, God reassured Israel – “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand”
    • II Timothy 1:7 reminds us that “God gave us a spirit NOT OF FEAR, but of power and love and self-control”.
    • “I will never leave you nor forsake you. So, we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’” in Hebrews 13: 5-6
  • Ultimately, we can’t let fear keep us from doing what God has commanded of us – we are to go into all the world to spread the gospel with everyone. How can we do that if we carry around the burden of Fear. 
  • In closing tonight, I want to ask each of us to think about what gets us out of our comfort zone when it comes to doing the will of God? Is it speaking to someone about Christ? Is it inviting our friends or co workers to come to worship service with us? Maybe having a Bible study with a complete stranger? Perhaps leading a devotional for the first time, or maybe leading singing. 
  • Whatever those things are, we should set aside our fears, put our trust in God, let our hearts be full of Love, not Fear. We should be on fire for God as Jeremy said last week.  We as Christians are capable of much more than we realize but how will we ever know those capabilities if we are too afraid to try. 
  • Philippians 4:13 doesn’t say I can do some things….it says I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me.
  • How amazing is it that we serve a God that loves us so much, and says he will always be with us, that he will never leave our side. He tells us time and time again we have no reason to be afraid. 

(From Travis’ first-ever devotional delivered at Lehman on Wednesday night, 2/16/22)

Fred Baur

Fred Baur

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Thursday’s Column: Learning From Lehman

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Braden Wilson

It was 2008, just 20 days shy of his 90th birthday, when Fred Baur died. On the way to the funeral home, his kids decided to stop at a nearby Walgreens to pick up some salty snacks. They debated for a bit, should it be sour cream and onion, cheddar cheese maybe? Larry and his siblings finally decided on Original. 

You see, Fred adored his kids, but his passion was snacks. His accomplishments included a variety of frying oils and freeze-dried ice cream. 

Fred was an American organic Chemist that had received both his masters and PhD at The Ohio State University, and it was 1966 when P&G came calling. Evidently, in the 1960s, there was a problem with the packaging and shipping of potato chips. By the time the consumer would pick up potato chips at a store, well, they were merely in pieces. This is where P&G thought Fred could help solve this problem. 

After two years of experimentation, Fred developed a chip of dried potato flakes, added a bunch of unpronounceable ingredients, and cut them into thin hyperbolic paraboloids. With this shape, Fred could neatly stack his chips into his vacuum sealed tube. 

By this time, you know that I am referring to Fred’s invention of Pringles, but the story doesn’t end there. Fred still wasn’t done with his invention. 

There were problems:

First and foremost, they tasted like sawdust, so Fred spent another 2 years to improve the taste. Then, another issue. Frito-Lay sent lawyers because they said Fred’s chips weren’t potato chips at all because they were just 42% potato. 

After some time and haggling, they decided to call them potato crisps. 

Fred persevered.

He gave birth to an iconic brand that many of us still enjoy today. Through years of experimentation, development, and disappointments, lawyers-at one point P&G wanted to trash the idea. 

But Fred persevered. 

He was able to see his brand break 100 million in sales. He was able to see it break 500 million in sales. However, he wasn’t there in 2011 when P&G sold Pringles for almost 2.5 Billion Dollars. 

That brings us back to 2008 when Fred’s children showed up to the funeral home with the Original flavored can of pringles. Fred’s wish was to have his ashes be placed in a Pringles can when he passed. 

Fred got his wish.

As great as this story is, we wouldn’t have this story if it wasn’t for Fred’s perseverance. And as great as Fred’s perseverance was, we have so many examples of greater perseverance in the Bible. 

Consider Joshua, Job, Jeremiah, Nehemiah and our greatest example of perseverance, Jesus. These are just a few of the many examples the Bible gives us. 

Two points I want to quickly make about Perseverance, and the lesson is yours. 

Number 1. WE HAVE A NEED FOR PERSEVERANCE.

It’s not a matter of if, but when…Christians Will Face Tribulations in Life. Jesus says in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” 

Christ never promised us that this life would be a bed of roses. The Gospel never said we’d go to Heaven on “flowery beds of ease.” Rather, we are promised that we shall have hardships and tribulations in this life, especially if we are faithful Children of God.

Only those who persevere receive the reward. Revelation 2:10-11 tells us, “ Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Number 2. PERSEVERANCE IS DEVELOPED IN TRIBULATION.

Romans 8: 18-28 can be summarized as this: Viewed in faith, tribulation is a friend rather than an enemy. I don’t know a lot of adversity that is necessarily fun, but we can learn from it, and we can grow from it. 

In Deuteronomy 8, the Israelites failed to see the benefits of their trials. 

In Numbers, we see there was an Exodus of over one Million Israelites. 

We later see that only two Persevered and reached the promised land. 

In 1 Corinthians and Hebrews, Paul admonishes us not to imitate the Israelites.

Rather than complain, rejoice in God’s work in your life. 

Difficulties and trials would not normally be considered an occasion for joy but think about James and Paul and how they exhort us to look beyond the immediate pain and discomforts of trials to the lasting effect they have on the character of the Christian. 

It is the development of our character, that should cause us to rejoice in adversity. Always remember who wins in the end. 

We all have mountains to climb and sometimes holes to dig ourselves out of. Perhaps you want to begin to persevere and put on the armor of God through Baptism. There is no better time than now. Perhaps you’ve been baptized, and you’re currently trying so hard to climb the mountain that you’re on and you’ve had setbacks. We would love to help you reach the peak. 

Sunday’s Bulletin Article: “F-E-A-R”

Sunday’s Bulletin Article: “F-E-A-R”

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Neal Pollard

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It will make congregations forsake God’s command to practice church discipline, especially in the age of Facebook and Instagram. It will disrupt, cancel, and in other ways impact congregational plans, faced with something that has killed .0004% of the world’s population. It will cause congregations to abandon the biblical position on any number of things that accommodates the cultural point of view. But, biblically speaking, what is particularly the fear of the devil, mankind, or things of this earth?

F-AITHLESS. You’ll find fear and faith contrasted in Scripture (Mat. 14:31; Mark 4:40; Heb. 11:23). Jesus rebukes a fear which hinders faith more than anyone. When we are driven by fear rather than faith, we confess that we believe in something more than we believe in God. Fear is completely understandable, something the Bible’s greatest heroes felt. But, they overcame their fear of men and even the devil by a greater faith in God’s power. The generation of Israel Moses led were the poster children of fear (Num. 14:9), yet what does the writer of Hebrews diagnose as the root cause of their punishment and rejection? “Unbelief” (3:19).

E-PIDEMIC. Have you noticed how quickly and widely fear spreads? The spies sent to Canaan came back afraid and they transmitted it to the whole nation almost immediately (Num. 13:31-33; 14:1ff). The devil has plenty of channels to transmit fear, from traditional to social media. But even pulpits, private meetings, and informal discussions can fan the flames of fear. Fear plays to our flesh, and the voice of fear travels at light speed. 

A-MPLIFYING. Have you ever suffered from economic, relationship, occupational, or spiritual problems? Lie still in your bed at night (or wake up in the middle of the night) and those fears grow exponentially. Like worry, fear is often greater than the problem. It’s why the devil finds it a useful tool in his warfare (cf. Rev. 2:10; 21:8–“cowardly” is the word “afraid” in Mark 4:40; 2 Tim. 1:7). The enemy looks bigger and scarier than it is, but giving in to fear can make it seem gigantic.

R-ASH. Jesus makes this clear during His earthly ministry. He says, “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Mat. 10:28). The analogy is definitely disturbing. There are physical and spiritual entities out there with the power to take our lives. We can be so quick to respond to them by retreating or withdrawing. But if the fear of those things replaces or supplants the fear that belongs rightfully only to God, we are in big trouble. 

These, are fearful times! Who doesn’t wrestle with fear? It seems that Jesus did (Luke 22:44; Heb. 5:7). God understands we’ll struggle with fear (Psa. 103:14). But His lovingkindness and compassion are “on those who fear Him” (Psa. 103:11,13,17). There is more Kingdom work to do than ever! There are numerous obstacles, but let’s not get in our own way through fear! 

“I’m Better Than That”

“I’m Better Than That”

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Tuesday’s Column: Dale Mail

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Dale Pollard

When you’re reading the Bible or sitting in a Bible class do you ever secretly think you’re better in some ways than the characters you’re studying? Before that sounds terrible let me explain. 

Moses is walking along minding his own business and tending to his father in-law’s flock in Exodus three. As the chapter progresses we see that he has a supernatural encounter with God when God appears to him from a burning bush. The voice of The Angel of the Lord is speaking from a bush that isn’t consumed by this supernatural fire— incredible.  Would that be enough to convince you to go and confront the most powerful and powerfully stubborn world leader of the day? 

What about the disciples when Jesus calms the storm in Mark four then walks on the water in Mark six? After these encounters the disciples still respond, “Who is this Man?” 

Maybe on occasion we find ourselves thinking that we would react and act more favorably in similar situations. 

As Christians there are certainly times when we fall embarrassingly short, but the same God that spoke from a burning bush to Moses and calmed the seas is the very God that reaches out to pick us back up when we fall. It’s tragic that some, even in the church, have this image of God in their minds as a stern tyrant waiting for us to become hopelessly tangled in this messy world. Your Creator is just too perfect to act like that. If you find yourself struggling spiritually then may this be a friendly reminder to look up and grab the hand of our Savior. He understands how human we are and how desperately we needed the One He sent in the first place. 

The Shadow of Things to Come 

The Shadow of Things to Come 

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Friday’s Column: Brent’s Biblical Bytes

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Brent Pollard

Standing before a lantern flashlight, I happened to notice my shadow on the wall. I won’t lie. I was displeased by what I saw. My large stomach? No, that is not what bothered me. That has been with me most of my life. What disturbed me was seeing evidence of how advanced my ankylosing spondylitis has become. To put what I witnessed in self-deprecating humor: my shadow confirmed that a certain cathedral in France could hire me to be a bell ringer. I should start practicing my dialogue. “Sanctuary!”  

Though I am confident of my person at this point in my life, I appear to be hunched over with insecurity since my head seems downcast. I admit to being perturbed by that since confidence is a part of the initial impression one makes on another. I must bend my knees to straighten upright (somewhat). It isn’t easy to walk with your knees bent! I take a TNF inhibitor to slow the progress. (Ankylosing spondylitis has no cure.) However, my shadow is a preview of things yet to come, the substance of who I will later be. If only my material substance was going to be as marvelous as the spiritual “substance” I will eventually enjoy (1 John 3.2).

Paul calls the Old Testament the “shadow of things to come” (Colossians 2.17). The New American Standard Bible adds the adjective “mere” (“a mere shadow”). Yet, what the Old Testament portended was the wondrous substance of Christ. It is odd to see the shadow of something before seeing that which cast the shadow, but that was the case with God’s eternal plan. One might philosophize about humanity’s ability to witness the substance first that he could not do so.  

Suppose you recall the people’s reaction to Moses’ glowing face after he had been in God’s audience (Exodus 34.29-30). In that case, you ponder whether they could have endured seeing something as glorious as the transfigured Christ, like Peter (Matthew 17.1ff). Whatever the reason, God had selected the optimum time for the incarnation of Christ. That time coincided with the Roman Empire’s days (Daniel 2.40-45; Galatians 4.4). However, even then, the appearance of Christ remained as unexpected to them as vegetation sprouting from the parched ground (Isaiah 53.2). 

Paul said that this “shadow” served like a tutor taking people to Christ (Galatians 3.23-25). A “tutor” during the days of Paul was a servant who took the master’s children to their teacher. In the twenty-first century, we might call the Old Testament the “bus driver.” I can recall several of the bus drivers I had in my youth. I think a couple of drivers would serve as a good role model, but at least one would have invited me along to commit mischief.  

We note that bus drivers only need a high school diploma with no disrespect intended toward bus drivers. (I’ve had family serve as bus drivers.) On the other hand, teachers must go to college and earn a specialized degree. The teacher is the one to whom you entrust the child’s education. Yet, we have people showing a preference for the “bus driver” today. These prefer the shadow to the substance. That preference is not in the best interest of his or her undying spirit. 

In what ways do people show a preference for the shadow? For example, in worship, they might indicate a preference for manmade mechanical instruments of music allowable under the Old Testament but unauthorized in the New Testament (cf. Ephesians 5.19; Colossians 3.16; Hebrews 13.15). In Hebrews 8-10, the Hebrews’ writer discusses at length the necessity for covenant change and the transference of authority from one to the other. Saying one can use a guitar or piano because David employed a lyre in his songs overlooks that David lived in the shadow. 

People also show a preference for the shadow when doing things like following the kosher diet of Judaism for religious purposes. Some of these same people will likewise insist that the day of worship remains on Saturday. Even though Gregory XIII, an apostate from the Faith, changed the calendar, he did nothing to change the verbiage indicating Sunday (“the first day of the week”) as the day of observing Christ’s memorial feast and giving of one’s means (Acts 20.7; 1 Corinthians 16.1-2). We might also note that when people prefer the religious use of iconography and incense, they likewise demonstrate a desire to live in the shadow rather than walking by faith (2 Corinthians 5.7). 

Yes, the Old Testament was only the shadow of things to come. It cannot save (Hebrews 10.1-4). We can enjoy and fellowship with the Substance, Jesus Christ. Come out from the shadow today! Live in the blessed Sonshine of Jesus Christ.   

“Moments of Meekness”

“Moments of Meekness”

by preacherpollard ♥ 1 Comment

Friday’s Column: Brent’s Biblical Bytes

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Brent Pollard

Have you ever experienced a moment of meekness? I did recently. I was driving “over the mountain” to go to a doctor’s appointment in Gainesville, Georgia. As I was making my way around the curves of US 19/129, I came upon a truck pulling a camper. He was the engine of a “train” consisting of about four cars. I was the “caboose.” Fortunately, I was in no rush. So, despite the driver’s lack of courtesy, making the traffic back up behind him without utilizing the slow vehicle pull-offs, I just enjoyed the tunes on my radio and tried to let the transmission do more braking than my brakes.  

As I sang along to a 1990s song, the truck pulling the camper drove through dense leaf debris. An enchanting scene suddenly unfolded. The sun shone through the trees, illuminating the fall colors. The bright blue sky was visible above. The rocky walls along the shoulder of the road glistened with water. And drifting leaves filled the air. The entire spectacle was likely only nanoseconds in length but magically seemed longer. That is an example of a moment of meekness. 

Have you ever wondered how the meek “inherit the earth” (Matthew 5.5)? Moments of meekness as the one described above punctuate the days of the meek. Such moments arise because of what it means to be meek. Meekness is not weakness. As used Biblically, meekness denotes gentleness and humility. Meekness was an adjective used to describe Moses (Numbers 12.3) and Jesus (Matthew 11.29). Neither men were weak. Moses died at 120, still full of vigor (Deuteronomy 34.7). Jesus made a “scourge of cords” (NASB) to drive out the temple’s money changers (John 2.15). Yet, Moses and Jesus were humble servants of God. They embodied the “still lifestyle” that knows the “I Am” is God (Psalm 46.10). Thus, as Burton Coffman notes in Matthew 5.5: 

“This is not a mere prophecy that the Christians shall be the landed gentry, but it is a statement that their relationship to the earth and its possessions shall be such as to bring them the greatest possible benefit and enjoyment of it.” 1  

There is nothing special about me. I am quite ordinary, except for having endured many physical hardships. Yet, I refused to become perturbed by life’s circumstances on that day, and that allowed the joy of my salvation bubble to the surface. I recognized my insignificance and God’s greatness. God created this beautiful world, and He showed me something fantastic in an instant. I could have easily been too distracted to notice. How sad!  

This moment of meekness makes me wonder how often I have squandered my inheritance. How oft have I refused to be still enough to see something special shown by God? Did I miss a moment of meekness when I worried about making it to an appointment on time? Did a miss a meek moment while distracted by my smartphone? Such moments of meekness may be a regular occurrence, and it is just that I have overlooked them.  

Let us strive to be still to see the moments of meekness God sends our way.     

Sources Sited: 

1 Coffman, James Burton. “Commentary on Matthew 5:4”. “Coffman Commentaries on the Old and New Testament”. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bcc/matthew-5.html. Abilene Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999. 

 

JETHRO

JETHRO

by preacherpollard ♥ 2 Comments

Monday’s Column: Neal At The Cross

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Neal Pollard

Jethro is one of my favorite Old Testament people. His efforts in Exodus 18 seem to be what he’s remembered most for. Yet, he is quite an impressive person from the time we meet him in the beginning of the book of Exodus.

  • Jethro was an appreciative man (Ex. 2:20). Moses met Jethro’s family after fleeing from the Pharaoh’s wrath following Moses’ murder of an Egyptian taskmaster. Moses helps Jethro’s seven daughters by fending off some mischievous shepherds and caring for the man’s sheep and family’s water needs. When Jethro heard of this, he asked his daughters, “Why is it that you have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.” Jethro was eager to quickly, tangibly show his thanks for Moses’ kindness.
  • Jethro was a spiritual man (Ex. 2:16; 3:1). One of the first facts we learn about the man is that he is “the priest of Midian.” He likely was the chief representative of the people in religious sacrifice, though it seems that when Moses meets him he has not yet learned who the true and only God is. That realization comes later (Ex. 18:10-11), but his role as spiritual leader is introduced to us from the beginning though with no details of it in the text.
  • Jethro was an accommodating man (Ex. 4:18). When the time came and Moses heeded God’s bidding to confront the Pharaoh, it meant separating himself from his work and living arrangements in Midian. Moses pleaded with his father-in-law, and Jethro made that easy for him, telling him, “Go in peace.” Jacob’s father-in-law had not been so kind. What a contrast in this man who saw the bigger picture and made his son-in-law’s departure that much easier.
  • Jethro was a sensible man (Ex. 18). This is the quality of the man about which we have heard most. Jethro’s appeal to Moses’ common sense, to get help from the people in judging the people, has served as a role model in spiritual leadership for centuries. Jethro could see the effect of the old, broken system on both Moses and the people. He sized it up, saying, “The thing that you are doing is not good” (17). But, a sensible man does more than raise the specter of the problem. He offers a solution (19-23), and it works beautifully (24-26).

One of the marvel’s of the Bible’s inspiration is seeing the supporting cast of men and women whose lives crossed the people we know best in Scripture. Moses was perhaps the most prominent figure of Old Testament history, so those whose lives he touched show up at several points. Jethro is one of the most interesting of them all.

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