3/18/12

A road to nowhere


Whether or not this is the "Road to nowhere" the Republican politicians have been referring to I really don't know, but it really is a road to nowhere.  Just look!!!  Now, everyone in this world has things that happen to them; some by accident, some by choice.  In the context of religion, the life we live (lets call it a road) is our choice, but the question is... where will it get us?  Consider these two verses of scripture...

WEB: Matthew Chapter 7

[13] “Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it. [14] How narrow is the gate, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it.

WEB: John 14:6. Jesus said to him, "“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.

The entrance to destruction is wide, while that to life is narrow.  This is to say that it is easy to go to destruction and difficult to enter into that way that leads to life (eternal life, that is).  The next verse (John 14:6) has Jesus saying... that he (himself) is the way (the road), the truth (notice the... the) and the life (genuine life, not just existence).  Think all paths lead to heaven?  Wrong!!! If you are not following what Jesus teaches, then you are on a road to nowhere, to a road that will ultimately lead to destruction.  If you think this sounds narrow minded, bigoted and sectarian, then YOU HAVE A PROBLEM.   Jesus is saying this, not me.  Face it, common sense tells you that everyone can't be right, otherwise truth is no longer truth.  But, you may say... what about the Muslims, the Hindu's the Jews and that group down the street that worships the great pumpkin.  You mean they are headed on a path of destruction?  Yep!  Once again, read the two verses and think about what Jesus says!!!  OK, you think these things do not apply to you because you are a member of a denomination; think again!!!  If you believe more or less than the Bible teaches you are on the wrong path; a road to nowhere and this is one dangerous road.  Put aside all your religious tradition, your creeds and your other than scripture church organization and do exactly what the Bible teaches and you will enter via the narrow gate and be on the road to heaven.  Do it before its too late!!!!

Mar. 18 Exodus 30, 31


Mar. 18
Exodus 30, 31

Exo 30:1 "You shall make an altar to burn incense on. You shall make it of acacia wood.
Exo 30:2 Its length shall be a cubit, and its breadth a cubit. It shall be square, and its height shall be two cubits. Its horns shall be of one piece with it.
Exo 30:3 You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top, its sides around it, and its horns; and you shall make a gold molding around it.
Exo 30:4 You shall make two golden rings for it under its molding; on its two ribs, on its two sides you shall make them; and they shall be for places for poles with which to bear it.
Exo 30:5 You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold.
Exo 30:6 You shall put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with you.
Exo 30:7 Aaron shall burn incense of sweet spices on it every morning. When he tends the lamps, he shall burn it.
Exo 30:8 When Aaron lights the lamps at evening, he shall burn it, a perpetual incense before Yahweh throughout your generations.
Exo 30:9 You shall offer no strange incense on it, nor burnt offering, nor meal offering; and you shall pour no drink offering on it.
Exo 30:10 Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once in the year; with the blood of the sin offering of atonement once in the year he shall make atonement for it throughout your generations. It is most holy to Yahweh."
Exo 30:11 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
Exo 30:12 "When you take a census of the children of Israel, according to those who are numbered among them, then each man shall give a ransom for his soul to Yahweh, when you number them; that there be no plague among them when you number them.
Exo 30:13 They shall give this, everyone who passes over to those who are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary; (the shekel is twenty gerahs;) half a shekel for an offering to Yahweh.
Exo 30:14 Everyone who passes over to those who are numbered, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the offering to Yahweh.
Exo 30:15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when they give the offering of Yahweh, to make atonement for your souls.
Exo 30:16 You shall take the atonement money from the children of Israel, and shall appoint it for the service of the Tent of Meeting; that it may be a memorial for the children of Israel before Yahweh, to make atonement for your souls."
Exo 30:17 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
Exo 30:18 "You shall also make a basin of brass, and its base of brass, in which to wash. You shall put it between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it.
Exo 30:19 Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet in it.
Exo 30:20 When they go into the Tent of Meeting, they shall wash with water, that they not die; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to Yahweh.
Exo 30:21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they not die: and it shall be a statute forever to them, even to him and to his descendants throughout their generations."
Exo 30:22 Moreover Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
Exo 30:23 "Also take fine spices: of liquid myrrh, five hundred shekels; and of fragrant cinnamon half as much, even two hundred and fifty; and of fragrant cane, two hundred and fifty;
Exo 30:24 and of cassia five hundred, after the shekel of the sanctuary; and a hin of olive oil.
Exo 30:25 You shall make it a holy anointing oil, a perfume compounded after the art of the perfumer: it shall be a holy anointing oil.
Exo 30:26 You shall use it to anoint the Tent of Meeting, the ark of the testimony,
Exo 30:27 the table and all its articles, the lampstand and its accessories, the altar of incense,
Exo 30:28 the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin with its base.
Exo 30:29 You shall sanctify them, that they may be most holy. Whatever touches them shall be holy.
Exo 30:30 You shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and sanctify them, that they may minister to me in the priest's office.
Exo 30:31 You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, 'This shall be a holy anointing oil to me throughout your generations.
Exo 30:32 It shall not be poured on man's flesh, neither shall you make any like it, according to its composition: it is holy. It shall be holy to you.
Exo 30:33 Whoever compounds any like it, or whoever puts any of it on a stranger, he shall be cut off from his people.' "
Exo 30:34 Yahweh said to Moses, "Take to yourself sweet spices, gum resin, and onycha, and galbanum; sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be an equal weight;
Exo 30:35 and you shall make incense of it, a perfume after the art of the perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy:
Exo 30:36 and you shall beat some of it very small, and put some of it before the testimony in the Tent of Meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be to you most holy.
Exo 30:37 The incense which you shall make, according to its composition you shall not make for yourselves: it shall be to you holy for Yahweh.
Exo 30:38 Whoever shall make any like that, to smell of it, he shall be cut off from his people."
Exo 31:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
Exo 31:2 "Behold, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:
Exo 31:3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,
Exo 31:4 to devise skillful works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,
Exo 31:5 and in cutting of stones for setting, and in carving of wood, to work in all manner of workmanship.
Exo 31:6 I, behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and in the heart of all who are wise-hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded you:
Exo 31:7 the Tent of Meeting, the ark of the testimony, the mercy seat that is on it, all the furniture of the Tent,
Exo 31:8 the table and its vessels, the pure lampstand with all its vessels, the altar of incense,
Exo 31:9 the altar of burnt offering with all its vessels, the basin and its base,
Exo 31:10 the finely worked garments--the holy garments for Aaron the priest--the garments of his sons to minister in the priest's office,
Exo 31:11 the anointing oil, and the incense of sweet spices for the holy place: according to all that I have commanded you they shall do."
Exo 31:12 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
Exo 31:13 "Speak also to the children of Israel, saying, 'Most certainly you shall keep my Sabbaths: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that you may know that I am Yahweh who sanctifies you.
Exo 31:14 You shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
Exo 31:15 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to Yahweh. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall surely be put to death.
Exo 31:16 Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
Exo 31:17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.' "
Exo 31:18 He gave to Moses, when he finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, stone tablets, written with God's finger.

"THE BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES" Chapter Seven by Mark Copeland

"THE BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES"

                             Chapter Seven

OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER

1) To understand what makes for "better living" in this vain world

2) To appreciate the limitations of wisdom in providing answers

SUMMARY

In the first six chapters the Preacher has shared with us his search for
meaning (1:1-2:24) and observations gleaned during the course of his
search (3:1-6:12).  He has repeated his conclusions time and again..

   * Life "under the sun" is vanity - 1:2,14; 2:11

   * Yet there is good that one can do, provided one is blessed by
     God - 2:24-26; 5:18-20

In the remaining six chapters the Preacher shares his counsel through a
mixture of proverbs and narration.  He imparts wisdom designed to make
the most of life "under the sun".  In other words, while life under the
sun is "vanity", how then should we live?

The first half of chapter seven offers "counsel for better living" with
a series of comparisons.  For example, honor is better than luxury, your
day of death is better than your day of birth, a funeral is better than
a party, etc.  His estimation of what is better may often sound strange,
but it comes from who has learned from both experience as well as
inspiration (1-14).

The second half of the chapter offers "counsel for balanced living."
There are challenging and difficult statements which should be
understood in their context, and in the context of the Bible as a whole.
It appears the Preacher is mainly warning against extremism, and against
the presumption that one can find the answer to every question in life
(15-29).

OUTLINE

I. COUNSEL FOR BETTER LIVING (7:1-14)

   A. HONOR IS BETTER THAN LUXURY (1a)
      1. A good name is highly valued
      2. Better than precious ointment (representative of luxury)

   B. YOUR DEATH DAY IS BETTER THAN YOUR BIRTHDAY (1b)
      1. One's birth is the beginning of sorrows - cf. Job 14:1; 3:1-3;
         Jer 20:14-18
      2. One's death can be the beginning of eternal bliss - cf. Isa
         57:1-2; Re 14:13

   C. A FUNERAL IS BETTER THAN A PARTY (2-4)
      1. Better to go to the house of mourning than the house of
         feasting
         a. For the funeral home is the end of all men
         b. Where the living will take it to heart
      2. Sorrow is better than laughter, for a sad countenance makes a
         heart better
         a. Thus the heart of the wise is in the house of mourning
         b. While the heart of fools is in the house of mirth

   D. A REBUKE OF THE WISE IS BETTER THAN THE SONG OF FOOLS (5-7)
      1. For the laughter of the fool is vanity, like the crackling of
         thorn under a pot
      2. Oppression destroys a wise man's reason, and a bribe debases
         his heart

   E. THE END IS BETTER THAN THE BEGINNING (8a)
      1. Similar to what we have already seen regarding birth and death
         - cf. Ec 7:1
      2. Not all that starts has an end; in the completion of a task one
         finds satisfaction

   F. PATIENCE IS BETTER THAN PRIDE (8b-9)
      1. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit
      2. Do not be hasty to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of
         fools

   G. THE PRESENT IS BETTER THAN THE PAST (10)
      1. We should not say "why were the former days better?"
      2. One is not wise in thinking in such a manner

   H. WISDOM IS BETTER THAN WEALTH (11-12)
      1. Wisdom along with an inheritance is good, and profitable for
         the living
      2. Wisdom is a defense like money, but wisdom gives life to those
         who have it

   I. RESIGNATION IS BETTER THAN INDIGNATION (13-14)
      1. There are some things of God we cannot change
      2. God has appointed both the day of prosperity and the day of
         adversity, so man is unable to determine what will happen after
         him
      3. The solution?
         a. In the day of prosperity be joyful
         b. In the day of adversity consider (e.g., what lessons might
            be learned)

II. COUNSEL FOR BALANCED LIVING (7:15-29)

   A. DO THINGS IN MODERATION (15-22)
      1. The righteous don't always prosper, nor do the wicked always
         suffer
         a. Avoid extremism in seeking to righteous and wise, lest you
            destroy yourself
         b. Avoid extremism in wickedness and foolishness, lest you die
            before your time
      2. Don't refrain from true righteousness and wisdom
         a. Fearing God will help one escape extremism
         b. Wisdom is a source of strength
         c. But no one is perfect
      3. Don't take to heart everything you hear
         a. You may hear another curse you
         b. Yet you have likely cursed someone at sometime

   B. WISDOM ALONE IS NOT THE ANSWER (23-29)
      1. There are questions wisdom can't answer
         a. Some things are beyond one's ability to find
         b. No matter how hard and long you search
      2. A wicked woman is certainly to be avoided
         a. Which he found out in his search for wisdom
         b. She is more bitter than death
         c. He who pleases God shall escape from her, but the sinner
            shall be taken by her
      3. A good man is hard to find
         a. In his search, he found only one in a thousand
         b. A good woman was even rarer
         c. God made man upright, but man has sought out many schemes

REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER

1) What are the main points of this chapter?
   - Counsel for better living (1-14)
   - Counsel for balanced living (15-29)

2) What is better than precious ointment? (1)
   - A good name

3) Which is better, the day of death or the day one's birth? (1)
   - The day of death

4) Why is it better to attend a funeral rather than a party? (2)
   - The funeral house is the end of all men, and the living take it to
     heart

5) Why is sorrow better than laughter? (3)
   - By a sad countenance the heart is made better

6) Where does the heart of the wise reside?  The heart of the fool? (4)
   - In the house of mourning
   - In the house of mirth

7) Which is better, to hear rebuke from the wise, or a song from a fool?
   (5)
   - The rebuke of the wise

8) What is the laughter of the fool? (6)
   - Like the crackling of thorns under a pot; vanity

9) What destroys a wise man's reason?  What debases the heart? (7)
   - Oppression; bribery

10) What other two comparisons are made? (8)
   - The end is better than the beginning
   - Patience is better than pride

11) Why should one not hasten to be angry? (9)
   - Anger rests in the bosom of fools

12) What is not a wise thing to say? (10)
   - Why were the former days better than these?

13) What is good along with an inheritance?  Why? (11-12)
   - Wisdom; it is a defense just as money is a defense

14) What is the value of knowledge? (12)
   - It gives life to those who have it

15) What should we consider about the work of God? (13)
   - No one can make straight what He has made crooked

16) What should we do in days of prosperity?  In days of adversity?
    Why? (14)
   - Be joyful
   - Consider
   - God has appointed both so that man can not find out what will come
     after him

17) What two things had Solomon seen in the days of his vanity? (15)
   - A just man perishing in his righteousness
   - A wicked man prolonging life in his wickedness

18) Against what does Solomon caution? (16-18)
   - Extremism in being righteous and wise, and in being wicked and
     foolish

19) How strong is wisdom? (19)
   - Stronger than ten rulers of the city

20) Is there anyone who does not sin? (20)
   - No

21) What should one not take to heart? (21-22)
   - Everything people say

22) In his effort to be wise, what did Solomon find? (23-25)
   - There were things beyond his ability to discern

23) What did he find more bitter than death? (26)
   - A woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are fetters

24) Who can escape such a woman? (26)
   - He who pleases God

25) In his search, what had he found, and not found? (27-28)
   - He found one man among a thousand
   - A woman among all those he had not found

26) What else had he found? (29)
   - God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes