Monthly Archives: May 2019

Baptist, News

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Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

God’s Top Ten – An Introduction Part A

They are among the most famous, familiar, and influential precepts known to humanity. They have offered a framework of moral, ethical, and spiritual conduct which continues to prove lofty, indeed, loftier, than anything we have ever seen before or since. So profound has been their influence that they have been rightly viewed as the foundation of the western legal system, the rule of law, and of moral society. It also inspired a legendary movie by Cecil B. DeMille, starring Charlton Heston.
Of course, we are talking about the Ten Commandments, God’s law as given to Moses on Mount Sinai. Known as עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת, Aseret ha’Dibrot, the 10 Commandments have had a profound influence on the Hebrew people, the Old and New Testament, and the world. They are mentioned twice in the Old Testament: Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5:4-21. Since Deuteronomy is the retelling of the Law to the generation of Israelites born in the wilderness, it is fitting that it be repeated (Deuteronomy means the ‘second’ [recitation] of the law).
There are some echoes of the Ten Commandments among ancient civilisations, particularly the Hittites and Mesopotamian empires. One specifically is the Code of Hammurabi, which is similar in some ways but glaringly different in others. Hammurabi refers to the Babylonia gods, thus making it polytheistic. He also talks about himself a lot, too. The 10 Commandments talked about the one true God and Moses, ‘the law-giver,’ is not mentioned at all.
From this we can draw the principle that when men make the laws, they are often above them. When God makes the law, then the law is above man. Rule of law ultimately derives its legitimacy from the fact that God is the ultimate source of laws and rights, and no human should be allowed to infringe of them. ‘Not under man, but under God and law,’ a phrase posted at the Harvard Law School, sums it up excellently.
Background: Under the leadership of Moses, the children of Israel made a wholesale escape from the bondage of the land of Egypt. They were at the foot of Mount Sinai (which could be the traditional site in the Sinai Peninsula, though there is a growing school of thought that it is Jebel il Louz in NW Saudi Arabia – after all, Paul speaks of Mount Sinai being in Arabia [Galatians 4:25]).
Chapter 20 of Exodus begins with the phrase: And God spake all these words. So we learn that the 10 Commandments were oral at first and they came directly from God. So what you read following are God’s words. These commandments were written on 2 tablets of stone by the finger of God (Exodus 31:18), which eventually were housed inside the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 25:21; Deuteronomy 10:2,5). Because Moses was the one to receive the law, he is called the great law-giver. However, this is a little misleading: it is God who is the great law-giver, Moses was the law-receiver.
TO BE CONTINUED

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

CULTURE WAR SERIES PART 12: Wisely Defending Your Values Part II

Having gone on an adventure in understanding the great cultural civil war, which is fighting for the heart and soul of western civilisation, we have begun to look at practical issues. How, on earth, should you respond to the massive challenges that lie before us? While it may be tempting to retreat into one’s ‘safe space’ and try to ‘wait things out,’ we are discovering this is not an option. The culture war will not leave the church, nor Christians, alone. You can only be exempted as a conscientious objector if you don’t believe that faith and family are worth the fight. And it that case, you are risking everything in the process and you will be forced to surrender.
In the previous article, we looked at the fact that neutrality is not an option. Key points were 1. Be in the know; 2. Don’t run from the fight; 3. Have wisdom to know when not to respond (Proverbs 26:4) and when to respond (Proverbs 26:5).
How to Respond
If you must do Option 2 – to answer a fool according to his or her folly, lest he or she be wise in their own conceits. Please keep these points in mind:
1.       Spiritually strong: Here’s some insight: at its core, the culture war is more than politics, polemics, or culture. It is a spiritual conflict. The real powers are invisible spiritual forces in high places (Ephesians 6:12). Since the cause is spiritual, the solution is equally spiritual. There can be a strong spirit of partisanship, division, death, deception, and outright hatred. This is not a place for the faint-hearted yet God will fortify you. Thus, when you are actively or passively engaging in the culture war, it behooves you to be in spiritually in tiptop shape. For example, be prayerful, in fellowship, meditate on God’s Word, and keep a good attitude. Sometimes too much social media and on-going news channels give diatribes that can be, after a while, vexatious to the spirit. Have a break from these things and seek spiritual refreshment. Turn off the television, notifications on the phone, and enter into God’s hiding place. Most of all, learn what it means to be ‘filled with the Spirit’ (Ephesians 5:18) at all times; for the Holy Spirit will give you boldness and words that no one can refute or gainsay. This first point is actually the most important of all, but don’t forget the others below.
2.       Treat culture warriors as friends, not an adversaries: This may seem a bit ridiculous – your opponent is attacking the very things you hold dear. Why can’t you treat him or her as an adversary? Because ultimately, as already stated, the root cause of the culture war is spiritual and your human opponent is not your real enemy. They are loved of God, made in His image, and Christ died for them, too. The real enemies are in the invisible, spiritual realm. So take a spiritually mature stance, extend the grace of a colleague rather than the shrill rhetoric reserved for an enemy. If you are prayerful, you have a good chance of defanging the tiger by your strong gracious attitude. Having said all this, it does not preclude putting up a ‘good fight of faith,’ because the battle is with an ideology, and the spirit behind it, not an individual;
3.       Project confidence and strength:  you must also protect confidence and strength. Weakness and under confidence will be as bait to the piranhas.
4.       Stay calm: This goes along with Point 3. Whenever a person, feeling trapped because their arguments are shown to be ridiculous and/or false, may descend into a temper tantrum and begin to throw out childish insults. A person who does so has lost already. Proverbs continues to be a wise guide in all this:
•   He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. – Proverbs 16:32;
•   In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise— Proverbs 10:19;
•   Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding – Proverbs 17:28;
•   A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger – Proverbs 15:1.
Are we getting the picture? Stay calm and watch your words. Need help in this area? The Holy Spirit is here to give you power, boldness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22).
While there are more points to be shared, just practicing the above points will put you in an advantageous position.

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

The Day of the Lord: Why Study the Book of Joel?

For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, 2I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land— Joel 3:1-2

Introduction
God loves His people and wants to get their attention before it is too late. His method? Natural disasters like locusts and droughts. By turning, indeed, returning to the LORD, they will be restored and blessed.
The Book of Joel introduces us to the ‘Day of the Lord.’ For the unrighteous, it will be calamitous but for the righteous, it will be a great reward. In addition, we learn about the latter day outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the final gathering of rebellious nations to the Valley of Decision, leading to their defeat and the establishment of God’s kingdom.
Hebrew Name of Joel
Yo’el means ‘Yahweh is God.’ The accent mark is on God and His majestic sovereignty.
Author of Joel
It is safely assumed that the author of the Book of Joel is Joel, the son of Pethuel (1:1). Just by the context of his remarks, especially involving Zion and the house of God, he is probably a Judean and Jerusalemite. He also seems to know about priestly things, implying that he may be a priest himself (Jeremiah 28:1,5).
Portrait of Christ in Joel
Jesus Christ has a twin-role: He sends the Holy Spirit on all flesh (Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:16-21) and serves as the Judge in the Valley of Jehoshaphat (3:2, 12).
Theme of Joel
‘The Day of the Lord,’ in the past, current events, and the future Messianic kingdom. There will be judgment and also the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The plague of locusts in Joel’s day is a dress rehearsal to the the Day of the Lord, where God intervenes in world affairs, banishes wickedness, and sets up a kingdom where righteousness finds its true home. In addition to locusts, there is also plagues, famine, fires, armies of conquest, and signs in the heavens. In summary, for the wicked, ‘The Day of the Lord’ is their worst nightmare because they will reap what they sow; for the righteous, it is their vindication and reward of future blessing.
Key Verses of Joel
(2:11)And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?
(2:28-29)And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Call of God Series Part 06: How to Respond to God’s Call Practically Part 02

But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up – James 4:6-10
We have learned that there is nothing under heaven more wonderful than being called of God. Remember, this is not a mark of divine favouritism, since God does not play favourites (Acts 10:34). Favouritism means heaping favour, care, and substance on one party at the expense of detriment of another.
Doing so is a foolish thing for it can cause serious, long-term family disharmony. For example, Isaac favoured his macho son Esau over his more domestic son Jacob – Rebecca, siding with Jacob, hatched a plot to steal Esau’s blessing. It almost destroyed the family. Jacob apparently did not learn the lessons against favouritism: He favoured Rachel over and against Leah and the two maids Zilpah and Bilhah. The rivalry between the 2 sisters was intense. But it did not stop there: Jacob favoured his youngest sons, Joseph and Benjamin, against his other sons. Joseph was nearly destroyed and Jacobs heart torn out.
No, God does not play favourites – He elects and/or calls. There is a notable difference between this and favouritism. Here, God choses an individual, family, or even nation for divine service. There are privileges with the call but there are also awesome responsibilities. When properly obeyed, the called individual, family, or nation becomes a blessing for the world That’s precisely the case with the patriarch Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In him and in his seed all the nations of the earth will be blessed (Genesis 12:3; 28:14)
Let us also not forget that many are called and few are chosen (Matthew 22:14). So, if we want to be part of God’s called, we must do the practical steps. In the last article, we learned some practical steps based on Romans 12:1-2:Forget the world, renew the mind, understand God’s will.
So far, so good.
Now, in this final article, we want to focus on an equally practical passage of Scripture. It is found in James 4:6-10:
1.       Grace (James 4:6): If we are to be equipped to fulfil the call, and have the presence of God with us every step of the way, we need to learn what it means to resist pride and embrace humility. One excellent description I learned of these two opposites is that pride lives independently of the living God. Humility is both the acknowledgement of one’s need for God and desire to come closer to Him. Since God gives ‘more grace,’ we want to take as much as we can get. It starts with humility for God ‘giveth grace unto the humble’ (James 4:6);
2.       Submit to God (James 4:7): Like posting a stamped, addressed envelope into the post box, thus leaving our hands and committed to the postal service who will make sure it gets to its destination, we submit ourselves to God. We don’t just surrender our burdens, cares, sins, and actions … we submit ourselves. We are now on His territory, terms, and subject to His timing. It is actually a powerful place to be, since God can do ‘exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think’ – Ephesians 3:20.r you, even if it does not appear so at first. Remember the promise of Proverbs 3:5-6!