10 words or less

[MrW]

No death until man sinned.

 

[Odë:hgöd]

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God "Came Down" To Inspect The Tower Of Babel?
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[Odë:hgöd]

God "Came Down" To Inspect The Tower Of Babel?

• Gen 11:5 . .Jehovah came down to look at the city and tower that man had built,

That verse presents an interesting theological problem. Wouldn't it make better
sense by saying Jehovah looked down, instead of saying He "came" down? Why
bother to come down? Doesn't the Bible's God see all and know all? Isn't God
omniscient and isn't His spirit omnipresent? Can't He see everything from right
where He is?

Well; fact of the matter is, yes, Jehovah could see the city and the tower from
Heaven, but He wasn't satisfied. It was His wish to inspect everything up close and
personal; to actually visit the city and the tower in person as an on-site eye
witness. He did it that way again with Sodom and Gomorrah.

• Gen 18:21 . . I will go down to see whether they have acted altogether according
to the outcry that has reached Me; if not, I will take note.

Why bother to go down? Doesn't the Bible's God see all and know all? Isn't God
omniscient and isn't His spirit omnipresent? Can't He see everything from right
where He is?

Well; fact of the matter is, yes, Jehovah could see and hear from Heaven
everything he needed to know about the city, but He wasn't satisfied. He had to
investigate, and establish the truth of every fact for Himself in person as on-site
eye witness, before moving against Sodom.

In future, should someone challenge the Lord by saying: How do you know Sodom
was bad? Were you there; did you actually see it yourself? Well; yes, He was there
and did actually see its bad for Himself.

And then there's the offering of Isaac.

• Gen 22:11-12 . .Then an angel of God called to him from heaven: Abraham!
Abraham! And he answered: Here I am. And he said: Do not raise your hand
against the lad, or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you
have not withheld your son, your favored one, from me.

Isn't God omniscient, and doesn't He have an ability to scan the future? Then why
did the voice say "now I know". Doesn't God always know everything there is to
know?

Yes; but knowing things as a spectator is quite a bit different than knowing things
by omniscience. God sometimes favors seeing things for Himself in real time, as an
eyewitness.

Of course God knew in advance that Abraham would go thru with offering his son,
but that kind of knowing doesn't always satisfy God. No, sometimes He prefers to
be on-site and observe things unfold as current events.

So although God knew by His intellect that Abraham would comply with the angel's
instructions, now He also has a first-hand knowledge of Abraham's compliance by
personal experience, i.e. God, via the angel, was there in the bleachers, so to
speak, watching all the action from first to last.
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[Odë:hgöd]

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Isaac Was Abraham's Only Son When He Was Offered?
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[MrW]

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Isaac Was Abraham's Only Son When He Was Offered?
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Isaac was the only son God promised to Abraham and Sarah. Ishmael was Abraham trying to do things his way instead of God’s way. God continued with His own plan, and disregarded Abraham’s, in regard to Messiah coming to earth through the line of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Judah.

 

[Odë:hgöd]

Isaac Was Abraham's Only Son When He Was Offered?

• Gen 22:2 . .Then God said: Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love,
and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the
mountains I will tell you about.

Abraham actually had two sons at this time: Ishmael and Isaac. But only one of his
boys counted. Here's why.

• Gen 21:10-11 . . Sarah said to Abraham: Cast out that slave-woman and her son,
for the son of that slave shall not share in the inheritance with my son Isaac. The
matter distressed Abraham greatly, for it concerned a son of his own.

Ishmael would always and forever be one of Abraham's biological sons; that couldn't
be undone with any more ease than recalling the ring of a bell. However; in the
case of slave mothers; there was a way to break Ishmael's legal ties to Abraham;
and the way was actually quite to Hagar's advantage.

The common law of Abraham's day (e.g. the Code of Hammurabi and the laws of
Lipit-Ishtar) stipulated that if a slave-owner disowned his child's in-slavery
biological mother; then the mother and the child would lose any and all claims to a
paternal property settlement with the slave-owner.

The catch is: Abraham couldn't just send Hagar packing, nor sell her. In order for
the common law to take effect; Abraham had to emancipate Hagar; which he did.

• Gen 21:14 . . Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle
of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent
her away

The phrase "sent her away" is from the Hebrew word shalach (shaw-lakh') which is
a versatile word that can be used of divorce as well as for the emancipation of
slaves. In other words: Hagar wasn't banished as is commonly assumed; no, she
was set free; and it's very important to nail that down in our thinking because if
Abraham had merely banished Hagar, then her son Ishmael would have retained
his legal status as Abraham's eldest son.

Ishmael retained his status as one of Abraham's biological sons (Gen 25:9) but in
legal matters-- e.g. covenants --he's no son at all.
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[Odë:hgöd]

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Why Is Jeconiah's Curse So Important?
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[MrW]

• Gen 22:2 . .Then God said: Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love,
and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the
mountains I will tell you about.

Abraham actually had two sons at this time: Ishmael and Isaac. But only one of his
boys counted. Here's why.

• Gen 21:10-11 . . Sarah said to Abraham: Cast out that slave-woman and her son,
for the son of that slave shall not share in the inheritance with my son Isaac. The
matter distressed Abraham greatly, for it concerned a son of his own.

Ishmael would always and forever be one of Abraham's biological sons; that couldn't
be undone with any more ease than recalling the ring of a bell. However; in the
case of slave mothers; there was a way to break Ishmael's legal ties to Abraham;
and the way was actually quite to Hagar's advantage.

The common law of Abraham's day (e.g. the Code of Hammurabi and the laws of
Lipit-Ishtar) stipulated that if a slave-owner disowned his child's in-slavery
biological mother; then the mother and the child would lose any and all claims to a
paternal property settlement with the slave-owner.

The catch is: Abraham couldn't just send Hagar packing, nor sell her. In order for
the common law to take effect; Abraham had to emancipate Hagar; which he did.

• Gen 21:14 . . Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle
of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent
her away

The phrase "sent her away" is from the Hebrew word shalach (shaw-lakh') which is
a versatile word that can be used of divorce as well as for the emancipation of
slaves. In other words: Hagar wasn't banished as is commonly assumed; no, she
was set free; and it's very important to nail that down in our thinking because if
Abraham had merely banished Hagar, then her son Ishmael would have retained
his legal status as Abraham's eldest son.

Ishmael retained his status as one of Abraham's biological sons (Gen 25:9) but in
legal matters-- e.g. covenants --he's no son at all.
_

Sounds right, to me.

 

[Odë:hgöd]

Why Is Jeconiah's Curse So Important?

A curse, back in the Old Testament, leveled at a really bad king in Solomon's
royal line to David's throne reads like this:

• Jer 22:29-30 . . O land, land, land, hear the word of the Lord! Thus said the Lord:
Record this man as without succession, one who shall never be found acceptable;
for no man of his offspring shall be accepted to sit on the throne of David and to
rule again in Judah.

The bad king's name was Jeconiah (a.k.a. Jehoiakim and/or Coniah). Jesus' dad
Joseph was one of his descendants. (Matt 1:11)

It's commonly believed that the curse extended to Joseph, so that had he been
Jesus' biological father, it would have prevented Mary's boy from ascending David's
throne.

However, Joseph adopted Jesus and seeing as how adopted children inherit from
their fathers the same as biological children; then had the curse extended to
Joseph, it would have extended to Jesus too whether he was virgin-conceived or
not. In other words: seeing as how Jesus got into Solomon's royal line by adoption,
then of course he would've got into the curse too because the throne and the curse
were a package deal.

However; the wording "to rule again in Judah" indicates that the curse on
Jeconiah's royal progeny was limited to the era of the divided kingdom with
Samaria in the north and Judah in the south. That situation came to an end when
Nebuchadnezzar crushed the whole country and led first Samaria, and then later
Judah, off to Babylonian slavery.

When Messiah reigns, the country of Israel will be unified. His jurisdiction won't be
limited to Judah within a divided kingdom, but will dominate the entire land of
Israel. So the curse doesn't apply to him.

• Ezek 37:21-22 . .You shall declare to them: Thus said the Lord God: I am going
to take the Israelite people from among the nations they have gone to, and gather
them from every quarter, and bring them to their own land. I will make them a
single nation in the land, on the hills of Israel, and one king shall be king of them
all. Never again shall they be two nations, and never again shall they be divided
into two kingdoms.
_

 

[MrW]

I never saw in Scripture that Joseph adopted the Lord Jesus, formally nor informally.

 

[Odë:hgöd]

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What Is Matt 22:42-45 Supposed To Mean?


That's a reference to Ps 110:1 which Jesus interpreted speaking of Christ, a.k.a.
Messiah.

• Ps 110:1 . . The Lord says to my lord: Sit at my right hand until I make your
enemies a footstool for your feet.

There's two distinctly different Hebrew words translated by the English word "lord"
in that passage

The first is Jehovah (a.k.a. Yahweh); which is a name restricted to God's use (Isa
42:8).

The second is 'adown, which is a common word for superiors in the Old Testament;
both human and divine, for instance: Sarah referred to her husband as 'adown
(Gen 18:12).The people of Heth addressed Abraham as 'adown (Gen 23:5-6).
Abraham's trusted servant referred to him as 'adown (Gen 24:12). Rachel
addressed her father Laban as 'adown (Gen 31:35). And Jacob addressed Esau as
'adown (Gen 33:8). And God is spoken of as 'adown too, e.g. Isa 1:24 and Isa 3:1
et al.

Jesus' interpretation of Ps 110:1 says Christ is superior to David, which is normally
unthinkable seeing as the covenant that Moses' people agreed upon with God ranks
parents above their children. (Ex 20:12, cf. Eph 6:2)

Now, the thing is: David has no peers relative to kings on earth, seeing as he was
given the rank of God's firstborn son in that respect.

• Ps 89:20-27 . . I have found My servant David; with My holy oil I have anointed
him . . I will make him My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.

So, in order for one of David's sons to outrank their father, the son would have to
be God's firstborn son in Heaven, viz: David's son would have to be a divine being.
(cf. Acts 2:32-36)

The theologians of Jesus' day knew the Old Testament practically word for word,
but they couldn't always explain it. No doubt they were aware that Psalm 110
speaks of David's son, and that he would be superior to David, and that he would
be a divine being. I'm pretty sure they knew all that. But what they hadn't as yet
figured out is how this one particular man of David's biological posterity could
possibly become so incredibly exalted.
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[Odë:hgöd]

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What Is The "My Church" Spoken Of By Matt 16:18?
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[Odë:hgöd]

What Is The "My Church" Spoken Of By Matt 16:18?

Within the global sphere of Christianity is a non-denominational classification of
individuals joined to Christ in such a manner as to be corporately identified as his
body, i.e. his actual body. (Eph 1:22-23 and Eph 5:30)

This concept isn't new. In the beginning it was declared that when a man and a
woman are joined to each other as a permanent couple, they become one flesh, i.e.
one body. (Gen 3:23-24, cf. Eph 5:31-32)

FAQ: How did these individuals bond with Christ's body?

A: Via baptism by the Spirit. (1Cor 12:13)

FAQ: Not by Christian baptism?

A: No; by Spirit baptism. In other words: bonding with Christ's body is by means of
an act of God rather than a ritual.
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[OneIsTheWord]

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God "Came Down" To Inspect The Tower Of Babel?
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yes The Tower Of Babel? is flabbergasted

 

[Odë:hgöd]

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How Was It Okay For Abraham To Marry His Half Sister?
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[Odë:hgöd]

How Was It Okay For Abraham To Marry His Half Sister?

I'm not sure we can say "okay" but a divine law prohibiting marriage to a half sister
wasn't instituted till Lev 18:9, which was many years later in Moses' day.

According to Deut 5:2-4, Rom 4:15, Rom 5:13, and Gal 3:17 divine laws are not
retroactive so Abraham could get away with marrying a sibling in his day.
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[Odë:hgöd]

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Is Something Important Hinted By Gen 13:7?
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[OneIsTheWord]

I never saw in Scripture that Joseph adopted the Lord Jesus, formally nor informally.

John 15:16 (NKJV) You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

 

[Odë:hgöd]

Is Something Important Hinted By Gen 13:7?

• Gen 13:7 . . And there was quarreling between the herdsmen of Abram's cattle
and those of Lot's cattle. The Canaanites and Perizzites were then dwelling in the
land.

How do you suppose that squabbling looked to the pagans? When God's people
can't get along, outsiders become disgusted with them and they sure won't be
influenced for God in a good way when there's fighting amongst themselves like
that.

Years ago, when I was a young welder just starting out on my own, I rented a small
room in a daylight basement from a man who was the senior pastor of a medium
sized church in the Portland Oregon area. He and his wife radiated the luster of
polished spirituality whenever I spoke with them out in the yard, but in my location
under the floor of the house, I could overhear their bitter quarrels upstairs behind
closed doors. Was I favorably inclined to attend their church? No.
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[Odë:hgöd]

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Define New Testament Hope.
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