Tuesday, February 28, 2023
Shifting the Blame
yelled back.
If you are a parent, or grandparent or just lived around children for any length of time, you have heard them blaming each other for something they have done and wanted to shift the blame onto someone else.
But of course, this is not just a problem with our kids.
Have you ever known anyone that blames everyone else for everything bad that has happened to them?
Maybe you have done that.
Maybe I have.
The thing is, we have all done it at one time or another.
And of course, it has its roots in the beginning of the world when Adam and Eve blamed each other in the garden.
Genesis 3:11-13
It did not go well with God for them to blame each other.
Nor does it go well with Him when we do it today.
When we mess up however, remember that we need to confess our sin to Him. And then we should tell the person we are sorry that we blamed them for something they didn't do. God will forgive us. And hopefully the other person will too.
That's God's way.
Isn't it?
Thanks for coming by today, Friends.
God bless you!
Saturday, February 25, 2023
Is God Male or Female?
There have been people that have decided that God is female. It begs to wonder if they have even studied the Bible to be able to know the truth about it. I like what gotquestions.org has to say about it. Please read on:
In examining Scripture, two facts become clear. First, God is a Spirit and does not possess human characteristics or limitations. Second, all the evidence contained in Scripture agrees that God revealed Himself to mankind in a male form. To begin, God’s true nature needs to be understood. God is a Person, obviously, because God exhibits all the characteristics of personhood: God has a mind, a will, an intellect, and emotions. God communicates and He has relationships, and God’s personal actions are evidenced throughout Scripture.
As John 4:24 states, “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” Since God is a spiritual being, He does not possess physical human characteristics. However, sometimes figurative language used in Scripture assigns human characteristics to God in order to make it possible for man to understand God. This assignment of human characteristics to describe God is called “anthropomorphism.” Anthropomorphism is simply a means for God (a spiritual being) to communicate truth about His nature to humanity, physical beings. Since humanity is physical, we are limited in our understanding of those things beyond the physical realm; therefore, anthropomorphism in Scripture helps us to understand who God is.
Some of the difficulty comes in examining the fact that humanity is created in God’s image. Genesis 1:26-27 says, “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
Both man and woman are created in the image of God, in that they are greater than all the other creations as they, like God, have a mind, will, intellect, emotions, and moral capacity. Animals do not possess a moral capacity and do not possess an immaterial component like humanity does. The image of God is the spiritual component that humanity alone possesses. God created humanity to have a relationship with Him. Humanity is the only creation designed for that purpose.
That said, man and woman are only patterned after the image of God—they are not tiny “copies” of God. The fact that there are men and women does not require God to have male and female features. Remember, being made in the image of God has nothing to do with physical characteristics.
We know that God is a spiritual being and does not possess physical characteristics. This does not limit, however, how God may choose to reveal Himself to humanity. Scripture contains all the revelation God gave to humanity about Himself, and so it is the only objective source of information about God. In looking at what Scripture tells us, there are several observations of evidence about the form in which God revealed Himself to humanity.
Scripture contains approximately 170 references to God as the “Father.” By necessity, one cannot be a father unless one is male. If God had chosen to be revealed to man in a female form, then the word “mother” would have occurred in these places, not “father.” In the Old and New Testaments, masculine pronouns are used over and over again in reference to God.
Jesus Christ referred to God as the Father several times and in other cases used masculine pronouns in reference to God. In the Gospels alone, Christ uses the term “Father” in direct reference to God nearly 160 times. Of particular interest is Christ’s statement in John 10:30: “I and the Father are one.” Obviously, Jesus Christ came in the form of a human man to die on the cross as payment for the sins of the world. Like God the Father, Jesus was revealed to humanity in a male form. Scripture records numerous other instances where Christ utilized masculine nouns and pronouns in reference to God.
The New Testament Epistles (from Acts to Revelation) also contain nearly 900 verses where the word theos—a masculine noun in the Greek—is used in direct reference to God. In countless references to God in Scripture, there is clearly a consistent pattern of His being referred to with masculine titles, nouns, and pronouns. While God is not a man, He chose a masculine form in order to reveal Himself to humanity. Likewise, Jesus Christ, who is constantly referred to with masculine titles, nouns, and pronouns, took a male form while He walked on the earth. The prophets of the Old Testament and the apostles of the New Testament refer to both God and Jesus Christ with masculine names and titles. God chose to be revealed in this form in order for man to more easily grasp who He is. While God makes allowances in order to help us understand Him, it is important to not try to “force God into a box,” so to speak, by placing limitations on Him that are not appropriate to His nature.
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That explains it very well, I believe. We only need to look to His Word to know the answer to that question.
But as we know, many people don't believe the Bible and just make up their own ideas.
They would rather believe a lie for the truth.
And so would the devil.
But I tell you, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know what the truth is.
Thanks for coming by Friends, Have a blessed night.
Thursday, February 23, 2023
God: Male or Female
You may have heard it before: God is a woman.
Have any women actually claimed to be God?
The answer to that is: Yes.
Amy Carlson Stroud claimed to be Mother God
Emily Thomas Lochten claimed to be an Egyptian God
Nirmala Srivastava was a gruru and self-proclaimed incantation of the Holy Ghost and more.
Just to name a few.
And of course there are many men that claimed to be God as well.
But the real question for this study is"
Is God male or female?
Some women and yes even some men would claim God is a woman.
Some men believe God to be a man.
So, what is the answer?
It's a compelling question, because the Bible states that God is male. But since he/she is a spirit, a spirit has neither identity.
Or is that false?
And on the other hand, the Bible claims that it is the Inspired Word of God. So if he claims to have the characteristic of male, where does that leave a woman as a God?
I plan to answer that question on Feb.25 so I hope you will come back for that post.
Thanks for coming by!
Be blessed of God!
Tuesday, February 21, 2023
The Latter Rain
Revival: a reawakening of religious fervor, especially by means of a series of evangelistic meeting.
"Have you heard about it?"
"Heard about what?"
Revival came to Ashbury University, and it lasted for days as thousands of people flocked there to be a part of what the Holy Spirit was doing in the hearts of those that were touched.
I don't know about you, but I find it exciting!
Why? Because the Bible talks about the Latter Rain.
But what is the Latter Rain?
The Latter Rain Movement is an influence within Pentecostalism which teaches that the Lord is pouring out His Spirit again, as He did at Pentecost, and using believers to prepare the world for His Second Coming. The Latter Rain Movement is anti-dispensational and amillennial, and many leaders of the movement embrace aberrant teachings.
The term “latter rain” was first used early in the history of Pentecostalism, when David Wesley Myland wrote a book called Latter Rain Songs in 1907. Three years later, Myland wrote The Latter Rain Covenant, a defense of Pentecostalism in general.
The name comes from Joel 2:23, “Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for He hath given you the former rain moderately, and He will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.” Pentecostals interpreted the “rain” in this verse as an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The “latter rain” (the end-times outpouring) would be greater than the “former rain.”
In 1948, a “revival” broke out in Saskatchewan, Canada, and the teachings of the Latter Rain movement were clarified. Those involved in the revival were convinced that they were on the verge of a new era, one in which the Holy Spirit would demonstrate His power in a greater way than the world had ever seen. Not even the age of the apostles, they said, had witnessed such a movement of the Holy Spirit.
Latter Rain teaching is characterized by a highly typological hermeneutic. That is, the Bible is interpreted in a symbolic, extremely stylized manner. An emphasis is placed on extra-biblical revelation, such as personal prophecies, experiences, and directives straight from God. Latter Rain doctrine includes the following beliefs:
- the gifts of the Spirit, including tongues, are received through the laying on of hands
- Christians can be demonized and require deliverance
- God has restored all the offices of ministry to the Church, including apostle and prophet
- divine healing can be administered through the laying on of hands
- praise and worship will usher God into our presence
- women have a full and equal ministry role in the Church
- denominational lines will be destroyed, and the Church will unify in the last days
- the “latter rain” will bring God’s work to completion; the Church will be victorious over the world and usher in Christ’s kingdom
Many “apostles” in the Latter Rain Movement also teach the doctrine of “the manifest sons of God.” This is a heretical doctrine which says that the Church will give rise to a special group of “overcomers” who will receive spiritual bodies, becoming immortal.
It is important to note that the Assemblies of God deemed the Latter Rain Movement to contain heresy from the very beginning. On April 20, 1949, the Assemblies of God officially denounced Latter Rain teaching, nearly splitting the denomination in the process. Other established Pentecostal groups have passed similar resolutions.
Today, the term “latter rain” is rarely used, but the theology of Latter Rain continues to exert an influence. Most branches of the Charismatic Movement adhere to Latter Rain teaching. Modern movements such as the Brownsville/Pensacola Revival, the Toronto Blessing, and the “holy laughter” phenomenon are a direct result of Latter Rain theology.
And so this begs the question, is what has been going on at this University really the latter rain that Joel 2:23 speaks of?
Friends to be honest with you, I don't know.
However, if we look at how corrupt the world has become just in the last couple of years, let alone past years, we know that we are certainly progressing towards the time of Jesus' return.
But we must be careful that we watch carefully because:
Mark 13:35 Therefore keep watch, because you do not know when the master of the house will return--whether in the evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or in the morning.
And sometimes leaders can convince people that Jesus is going to come back at a certain time and perhaps believe it themselves and it doesn't happen. This has happened numerous times over since the beginning of time.
And when that happens, there are a lot of confusion and people often leave the church because of the lies.
Just what the devil wants.
Having said that, look also at what Jesus said.
And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
And so, is what has happened at this University the beginning of the return of Jesus?
Only God knows. But what has happened is spreading and so we should be looking up. Watching for his return. Because it could be.
He is getting his church ready for his return. And he will....
return.
There is no doubt in that fact.
Even if we do not know
when.
Thanks for coming by, Friends. Be blessed! Next post will be Feb.23 by 10 pm est.
Sunday, February 19, 2023
Unicorns of the Bible
The following is just a bit more about the unicorns that are found in the Bible.
The word unicorn simply means "one-horned." Creatures that naturally resemble unicorns are not unheard of in nature. The rhinoceros, narwhal, and unicornfish all boast a single-horn. It's interesting to note, rhinoceros unicornis is the scientific name for the Indian rhinoceros, also called the greater one-horned rhinoceros, native to northern India and southern Nepal.
Sometime in the middle ages, the English term unicorn came to signify a mythical animal resembling the head and body of a horse, with the hind legs of a stag, the tail of a lion, and a single horn protruding from the center of its forehead. It's highly implausible that the writers and transcribers of the Bible ever had this fantasy creature in mind.
Interpretations and Analysis
The original Hebrew term for unicorn was reʾēm, translated monókerōs in the Greek Septuagint and unicornis in the Latin Vulgate. It is from this Latin translation that the King James Version took the term unicorn, most likely with no other meaning attached to it than "a one-horned beast."
Many scholars believe reʾēm refers to the wild bovine creature known to ancient Europeans and Asians as aurochs. This magnificent animal grew to heights over six feet tall and had a dark brown to black coat and long curved horns.
Aurochs, the ancestors of modern domesticated cattle, were widely distributed in Europe, central Asia, and North Africa. By the 1600s, they faded into extinction. Allusions to these animals in Scripture may have come from folklore associated with wild oxen in Egypt, where the aurochs were hunted up until the 12th century B.C.
Some scholars suggest monókerōs refers to the rhinoceros. When Jerome translated the Latin Vulgate, he used both unicornis and rhinoceros. Others suppose the debated creature to be a buffalo or white antelope. Most probable, however, is that the unicorn refers to the primitive ox, or aurochs, which is now extinct throughout the world.
(source: Are There Unicorns in the Bible? www.learnreligions.com/unicorns-in-the-bible-4846568)
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That wraps up this study on unicorns for me. I encourage you to continue your own study of them if you wish. My next post will be on 2/21.
Thanks for coming by
and may God bless You!
Thursday, February 16, 2023
Youtube: Answers in Genesis
So, you may know that I do not claim to be a Bible scholar or a theologian in any sense of the word. The insight I have learned have come from many years of Sunday School and church and my own personal studies in the Bible and in later years, comparing different teachings online and using the Christian websites that help me in understanding them as well.
You know that saying, "Curious minds want to know." Well, I have a curious mind when it comes to God's Word. And when I find something there that I did not know existed, I want to know more about it.
And so it was. A few days ago, learning that the unicorn-a mythical creature showed up in the Bible when my son asked me that day if I knew that they are mentioned there.
However, they evidentially weren't so mythical as I thought. They were a creature that actually did exist. But what were they really? Let's find out.
Actually, my son had found out about them on YouTube 'Answers in Genesis' if you would like to go there for yourself. And here is what some of what is said on there.
Unicorns in the Bible?
Featured in The New Answers Book 3
To think of the biblical unicorn as a fantasy animal is to demean God’s Word, which is true in every detail.
Some people claim the Bible is a book of fairy tales because it mentions unicorns. However, the unicorns in the bible were real animals, not imaginary creatures. The Bible refers to the unicorn in the context of familiar animals, such as peacocks, lambs, lions, bullocks, goats, donkeys, horses, dogs, eagles, and calves (Job 39:9–12).1 In Job 38–41, God reminded Job of the characteristics of a variety of impressive animals He had created, showing Job that God was far above man in power and strength.
Job had to be familiar with the animals on God’s list for the illustration to be effective. God points out in Job 39:9–12 that the unicorn, “
whose strength is great,” is useless for agricultural work, refusing to serve man or “
harrow (plow) the valley.” This visual aid gave Job a glimpse of God’s greatness. An imaginary fantasy animal would have defeated the purpose of God’s illustration.
Modern readers have trouble with the unicorns in the Bible because we forget that a single-horned feature is not uncommon on God’s menu for animal design. (Consider the rhinoceros and narwhal.) The Bible describes unicorns skipping like calves (Psalm 29:6), traveling like bullocks, and bleeding when they die (Isaiah 34:7). The presence of a very strong horn on this powerful, independent-minded creature is intended to make readers think of strength.
The absence of a unicorn in the modern world should not cause us to doubt its past existence. (Think of the dodo bird. It does not exist today, but we do not doubt that it existed in the past.) Eighteenth century reports from southern Africa described rock drawings and eyewitness accounts of fierce, single-horned, equine-like animals. One such report describes “a single horn, directly in front, about as long as one’s arm, and at the base about as thick. . . . [It] had a sharp point; it was not attached to the bone of the forehead, but fixed only in the skin.”3
The elasmotherium, an extinct giant rhinoceros, provides another possibility for the unicorn’s identity. The elasmotherium’s 33-inch-long skull has a huge bony protuberance on the frontal bone consistent with the support structure for a massive horn.4 In fact, archaeologist Austen Henry Layard, in his 1849 book Nineveh and Its Remains, sketched a single-horned creature from an obelisk in company with two-horned bovine animals; he identified the single-horned animal as an Indian rhinoceros.5 The unicorns in the Bible could have been the elasmotherium.6
Assyrian archaeology provides one other possible solution to the unicorn identity crisis. The biblical unicorn could have been an aurochs (a kind of wild ox known to the Assyrians as rimu).7 The aurochs’s horns were symmetrical and often appeared as one in profile, as can be seen on Ashurnasirpal II’s palace relief and Esarhaddon’s stone prism.8 Fighting rimu was a popular sport for Assyrian kings. On a broken obelisk, for instance, Tiglath-Pileser I boasted of slaying them in the Lebanese mountains.9
Extinct since about 1627, aurochs, Bos primigenius, were huge bovine creatures.10 Julius Caesar described them in his Gallic Wars as,
. . . a little below the elephant in size, and of the appearance, color, and shape of a bull. Their strength and speed are extraordinary; they spare neither man nor wild beast which they have espied. . . . Not even when taken very young can they be rendered familiar to men and tamed. The size, shape, and appearance of their horns differ much from the horns of our oxen. These they anxiously seek after, and bind at the tips with silver, and use as cups at their most sumptuous entertainments.11
The aurochs’s highly prized horns would have been a symbol of great strength to the ancient Bible reader.
One scholarly urge to identify the unicorns in the Bible with the Assyrian aurochs springs from a similarity between the Assyrian word rimu and the Hebrew word re’em. We must be very careful when dealing with anglicized transliterated words from languages that do not share the English alphabet and phonetic structure.12 However, similar words in Ugaritic and Akkadian (other languages of the ancient Middle East) as well as Aramaic mean “wild bull” or “buffalo,” and an Arabic cognate means “white antelope.”
To think of the biblical unicorn as a fantasy animal is to demean God’s Word, which is true in every detail.
However, the linguistics of the text cannot conclusively prove how many horns the biblical unicorn had. While modern translations typically translate re’em as “wild ox,” the King James Version (1611), Luther’s German Bible (1534), the Septuagint, and the Latin Vulgate translated this Hebrew word with words meaning “one-horned animal.”13
The importance of the unicorns in the Bible is not so much their specific identity—much as we would like to know—but their reality. The Bible is clearly describing a real animal. The unicorn mentioned in the Bible was a powerful animal possessing one or two strong horns—not the fantasy animal that has been popularized in movies and books. Whatever it was, it is now likely extinct like many other animals. To think of the biblical unicorn as a fantasy animal is to demean God’s Word, which is true in every detail.
Editor’s note: Originally published in Answers in Depth 2 (2007), https://answersingenesis.org/answers/in-depth/v2/.
And so there you have it, friends. A so-called mythical creature showing up in a not mythical and instead a natural world.
Fascinating that our God is so imaginative to create the kind of world that He did.
I thought for the next post or two I would look up other sites that speak on this subject. And so my next post will be on Feb.18th if you are interested.
Thanks for stopping by. God bless!
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