5/31/12

Be careful what you do...


Do not do this!  I may seem like a good idea, but pizza has cheese on it, remember?  Once it gets hot enough, the cheese will run down into the toaster and make a very nice mess.  Yuk!!!  I am sorry to say that somebody out there will see this and do it.  Dumb.  Which reminds me of a man who did something very foolish and paid for it...

2 Samuel, Chapter 1

 1 It happened after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed two days in Ziklag;  2 it happened on the third day, that behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes torn, and earth on his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and showed respect.  3 David said to him, “Where do you come from?”

He said to him, “I have escaped out of the camp of Israel.”  4 David said to him, “How did it go? Please tell me.”

He answered, “The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen and are dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.”

  5 David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?”

  6 The young man who told him said, “As I happened by chance on Mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning on his spear; and behold, the chariots and the horsemen followed hard after him. 7 When he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. I answered, ‘Here I am.’  8 He said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’  9 He said to me, ‘Please stand beside me, and kill me; for anguish has taken hold of me, because my life is yet whole in me.’ 10 So I stood beside him, and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he had fallen. I took the crown that was on his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord.”

  11 Then David took hold on his clothes, and tore them; and likewise all the men who were with him.  12 They mourned, and wept, and fasted until evening, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Yahweh,*n1 and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.  13 David said to the young man who told him, “Where are you from?”

He answered, “I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite.”

  14 David said to him, “How were you not afraid to put forth your hand to destroy Yahweh’s anointed?”  15 David called one of the young men, and said, “Go near, and fall on him.” He struck him, so that he died.  16 David said to him, “Your blood be on your head; for your mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have slain Yahweh’s anointed.’”

Now, here is what really happened!!!!


1 Samuel, chapter 31

 1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain on Mount Gilboa.  2 The Philistines followed hard on Saul and on his sons; and the Philistines killed Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul.  3 The battle went hard against Saul, and the archers overtook him; and he was greatly distressed by reason of the archers.  4 Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me!” But his armor bearer would not; for he was terrified. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell on it.  5 When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell on his sword, and died with him.  6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor bearer, and all his men, that same day together.


Saul committed suicide in the face of torture.  The Amalekite's tale was false.  This foolish young man thought he would gain favor with David by killing Saul, but instead he forfeited his own life.  He assumed to much and paid for it.  David was innocent because he acted in good faith.  Be careful what you do and what you say, it could be the death of you.  And that of course is far worse than some cheese in a toaster.











May 31 Judges 19, 20


May 31
Judges 19, 20

Jdg 19:1 It happened in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the farther side of the hill country of Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehem Judah.
Jdg 19:2 His concubine played the prostitute against him, and went away from him to her father's house to Bethlehem Judah, and was there the space of four months.
Jdg 19:3 Her husband arose, and went after her, to speak kindly to her, to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of donkeys: and she brought him into her father's house; and when the father of the young lady saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.
Jdg 19:4 His father-in-law, the young lady's father, retained him; and he abode with him three days: so they ate and drink, and lodged there.
Jdg 19:5 It happened on the fourth day, that they arose early in the morning, and he rose up to depart: and the young lady's father said to his son-in-law, Strengthen your heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward you shall go your way.
Jdg 19:6 So they sat down, ate, and drank, both of them together: and the young lady's father said to the man, Please be pleased to stay all night, and let your heart be merry.
Jdg 19:7 The man rose up to depart; but his father-in-law urged him, and he lodged there again.
Jdg 19:8 He arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart; and the young lady's father said, Please strengthen your heart and stay until the day declines; and they ate, both of them.
Jdg 19:9 When the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant, his father-in-law, the young lady's father, said to him, Behold, now the day draws toward evening, please stay all night: behold, the day grows to an end, lodge here, that your heart may be merry; and tomorrow get you early on your way, that you may go home.
Jdg 19:10 But the man wouldn't stay that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against Jebus (the same is Jerusalem): and there were with him a couple of donkeys saddled; his concubine also was with him.
Jdg 19:11 When they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said to his master, Please come and let us turn aside into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.
Jdg 19:12 His master said to him, We won't turn aside into the city of a foreigner, that is not of the children of Israel; but we will pass over to Gibeah.
Jdg 19:13 He said to his servant, Come and let us draw near to one of these places; and we will lodge in Gibeah, or in Ramah.
Jdg 19:14 So they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down on them near to Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin.
Jdg 19:15 They turned aside there, to go in to lodge in Gibeah: and he went in, and sat him down in the street of the city; for there was no man who took them into his house to lodge.
Jdg 19:16 Behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even: now the man was of the hill country of Ephraim, and he sojourned in Gibeah; but the men of the place were Benjamites.
Jdg 19:17 He lifted up his eyes, and saw the wayfaring man in the street of the city; and the old man said, Where are you going? Where did you come from?
Jdg 19:18 He said to him, We are passing from Bethlehem Judah to the farther side of the hill country of Ephraim; from there am I, and I went to Bethlehem Judah: and I am now going to the house of Yahweh; and there is no man who takes me into his house.
Jdg 19:19 Yet there is both straw and provender for our donkeys; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for your handmaid, and for the young man who is with your servants: there is no want of anything.
Jdg 19:20 The old man said, Peace be to you; howsoever let all your wants lie on me; only don't lodge in the street.
Jdg 19:21 So he brought him into his house, and gave the donkeys fodder; and they washed their feet, and ate and drink.
Jdg 19:22 As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain base fellows, surrounded the house, beating at the door; and they spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man who came into your house, that we may know him.
Jdg 19:23 The man, the master of the house, went out to them, and said to them, No, my brothers, please don't act so wickedly; seeing that this man is come into my house, don't do this folly.
Jdg 19:24 Behold, here is my daughter a virgin, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble them, and do with them what seems good to you: but to this man don't do any such folly.
Jdg 19:25 But the men wouldn't listen to him: so the man laid hold on his concubine, and brought her forth to them; and they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning: and when the day began to spring, they let her go.
Jdg 19:26 Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at the door of the man's house where her lord was, until it was light.
Jdg 19:27 Her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the house, and went out to go his way; and behold, the woman his concubine was fallen down at the door of the house, with her hands on the threshold.
Jdg 19:28 He said to her, Up, and let us be going; but none answered: then he took her up on the donkey; and the man rose up, and got him to his place.
Jdg 19:29 When he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout all the borders of Israel.
Jdg 19:30 It was so, that all who saw it said, There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt to this day: consider it, take counsel, and speak.
Jdg 20:1 Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was assembled as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of Gilead, to Yahweh at Mizpah.
Jdg 20:2 The chiefs of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen who drew sword.
Jdg 20:3 (Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) The children of Israel said, Tell us, how was this wickedness brought to pass?
Jdg 20:4 The Levite, the husband of the woman who was murdered, answered, I came into Gibeah that belongs to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge.
Jdg 20:5 The men of Gibeah rose against me, and surrounded the house by night. They thought to have slain me, and they forced my concubine, and she is dead.
Jdg 20:6 I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel; for they have committed lewdness and folly in Israel.
Jdg 20:7 Behold, you children of Israel, all of you, give here your advice and counsel.
Jdg 20:8 All the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any of us go to his tent, neither will we any of us turn to his house.
Jdg 20:9 But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah: we will go up against it by lot;
Jdg 20:10 and we will take ten men of one hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and one hundred of one thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to get food for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have worked in Israel.
Jdg 20:11 So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man.
Jdg 20:12 The tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is happen among you?
Jdg 20:13 Now therefore deliver up the men, the base fellows, who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But Benjamin would not listen to the voice of their brothers the children of Israel.
Jdg 20:14 The children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities to Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.
Jdg 20:15 The children of Benjamin were numbered on that day out of the cities twenty-six thousand men who drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men.
Jdg 20:16 Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men left-handed; everyone could sling stones at a hair-breadth, and not miss.
Jdg 20:17 The men of Israel, besides Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men who drew sword: all these were men of war.
Jdg 20:18 The children of Israel arose, and went up to Bethel, and asked counsel of God; and they said, Who shall go up for us first to battle against the children of Benjamin? Yahweh said, Judah shall go up first.
Jdg 20:19 The children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah.
Jdg 20:20 The men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel set the battle in array against them at Gibeah.
Jdg 20:21 The children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites on that day Twenty-two thousand men.
Jdg 20:22 The people, the men of Israel, encouraged themselves, and set the battle again in array in the place where they set themselves in array the first day.
Jdg 20:23 The children of Israel went up and wept before Yahweh until even; and they asked of Yahweh, saying, Shall I again draw near to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? Yahweh said, Go up against him.
Jdg 20:24 The children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day.
Jdg 20:25 Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword.
Jdg 20:26 Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came to Bethel, and wept, and sat there before Yahweh, and fasted that day until even; and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Yahweh.
Jdg 20:27 The children of Israel asked of Yahweh (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,
Jdg 20:28 and Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days), saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? Yahweh said, Go up; for tomorrow I will deliver him into your hand.
Jdg 20:29 Israel set ambushes all around Gibeah.
Jdg 20:30 The children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and set themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times.
Jdg 20:31 The children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to strike and kill of the people, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goes up to Bethel, and the other to Gibeah, in the field, about thirty men of Israel.
Jdg 20:32 The children of Benjamin said, They are struck down before us, as at the first. But the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and draw them away from the city to the highways.
Jdg 20:33 All the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and set themselves in array at Baal Tamar: and the ambushers of Israel broke forth out of their place, even out of Maareh Geba.
Jdg 20:34 There came over against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was sore; but they didn't know that evil was close on them.
Jdg 20:35 Yahweh struck Benjamin before Israel; and the children of Israel destroyed of Benjamin that day twenty-five thousand one hundred men: all these drew the sword.
Jdg 20:36 So the children of Benjamin saw that they were struck; for the men of Israel gave place to Benjamin, because they trusted the ambushers whom they had set against Gibeah.
Jdg 20:37 The ambushers hurried, and rushed on Gibeah; and the ambushers drew themselves along, and struck all the city with the edge of the sword.
Jdg 20:38 Now the appointed sign between the men of Israel and the ambushers was that they should make a great cloud of smoke rise up out of the city.
Jdg 20:39 The men of Israel turned in the battle, and Benjamin began to strike and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons; for they said, Surely they are struck down before us, as in the first battle.
Jdg 20:40 But when the cloud began to arise up out of the city in a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them; and behold, the whole of the city went up in smoke to the sky.
Jdg 20:41 The men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were dismayed; for they saw that evil had come on them.
Jdg 20:42 Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel to the way of the wilderness; but the battle followed hard after them; and those who came out of the cities destroyed them in its midst.
Jdg 20:43 They surrounded the Benjamites, chased them, and trod them down at their resting place, as far as over against Gibeah toward the sunrise.
Jdg 20:44 There fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were men of valor.
Jdg 20:45 They turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men, and followed hard after them to Gidom, and struck of them two thousand men.
Jdg 20:46 So that all who fell that day of Benjamin were twenty-five thousand men who drew the sword; all these were men of valor.
Jdg 20:47 But six hundred men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and abode in the rock of Rimmon four months.
Jdg 20:48 The men of Israel turned again on the children of Benjamin, and struck them with the edge of the sword, both the entire city, and the livestock, and all that they found: moreover all the cities which they found they set on fire.

"ACTS OF THE APOSTLES" Chapter Fourteen by Mark Copeland



                         "ACTS OF THE APOSTLES"

                            Chapter Fourteen

OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER

1) To continue tracing the route of Paul and Barnabas on their
   missionary journey

2) To note the increasing persecution endured by the apostle Paul (cf.
   2Ti 3:10-11)

3) To give special attention to their appointment of elders in every
   church

SUMMARY

Luke continues his narration of events during Paul's first missionary
journey.  Upon arriving in Iconium, Paul and Barnabas again visited the
local synagogue.  Response to their message was positive among both Jews
and Greeks, but soon opposition again came from unbelieving Jews.  Even
so, Paul and Barnabas stayed "a long time" in Iconium, speaking boldly
and performing signs and wonders.  Eventually the opposition became
violent, forcing Paul and Barnabas to flee to Lystra and Derbe (1-6).

In Lystra, Paul healed a man crippled from birth (similar to Peter, cf.
3:1-10).  The people assumed that Paul and Barnabas must be gods, and so
named them Zeus (Barnabas) and Hermes (Paul).  When the priest of Zeus
prepared to offer sacrifices, the apostles tore their own clothes and
barely restrained them by an impassioned speech.  Not long after, Jews
from Antioch and Iconium persuaded the multitudes to stone Paul and drag
him outside the city.  Though assumed to be dead, Paul was able to
return to the city and departed the next day with Barnabas to Derbe
where they preached the gospel and made many disciples (7-21).

From Derbe, Paul and Barnabas retraced their steps, strengthened the
disciples in Lystra, Iconium and Antioch (Pisidia) and appointed elders
in every church with prayer and fasting.  Passing through Pisidia they
came to Pamphylia where they preached the gospel in Perga.  From there
they went down to Attalia and then sailed to Antioch (Syria) from which
they began their journey, where they reported to the church all that God
had done with them.  There they stayed for "a long time" (21-28).

OUTLINE

I. PREACHING IN ICONIUM, LYSTRA, DERBE (1-21)

   A. MINSTRY AND PERSECUTION IN ICONIUM (1-6)
      1. Speaking at the local synagogue leads many Jews and Gentiles to
         believe
      2. Unbelieving Jews stir up and poison the minds of the Gentiles
         against the brethren
      3. Paul and Barnabas stay a long time, speaking boldly and
         performing signs and wonders
      4. The city becomes divided, and an attempt is made by Gentiles
         and Jews along with their rulers to abuse and stone them
      5. Made aware of the planned violence, Paul and Barnabas flee to
         Lystra and Derbe

   B. MINISTRY AND PERSECUTION IN LYSTRA AND DERBE (7-21)
      1. Paul and Barnabas preach there and in the surrounding region
      2. In Lystra Paul heals a man crippled from birth
      3. The people proclaim Paul and Barnabas to be gods, the priest of
         Zeus sought to offer sacrifices to them
      4. Tearing their clothes, Barnabas and Paul proclaim themselves to
         be men who preach the one true living God and scarcely restrain
         the people from sacrificing to them
      5. Jews arrive from Antioch and Iconium and persuade the multitude
         to stone Paul
      6. Presumed dead, Paul is dragged outside the city where later as
         he is surrounded by disciples he revives and returns to the
         city
      7. The next day Paul and Barnabas depart to Derbe where they
         preach the gospel and make many disciples before beginning
         their return trip through Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch

II. CONFIRMING DISCIPLES AND APPOINTING ELDERS (22-23)

   A. STRENGTHENING THE DISCIPLES (22)
      1. Paul and Barnabas exhort them to continue in the faith
      2. They warn them:  "We must through many tribulations enter the
         kingdom of God."

   B. APPOINTING ELDERS IN EVERY CHURCH (23)
      1. Paul and Barnabas appoint elders in every church with prayer
         and fasting
      2. They commend them to the Lord in whom they believed

III. RETURN TO ANTIOCH OF SYRIA (24-28)

   A. THE JOURNEY HOME (24-26)
      1. Passing through Pisidia, they come to Pamphylia
      2. After preaching in Perga, they go down to Attalia
      3. From there they sail to Antioch of Syria, from which they had
         been commended to the grace of God for the work accomplished on
         their journey

   B. THEIR REPORT AND STAY AT ANTIOCH (27-28)
      1. Paul and Barnabas report to the church all that God had done
         with them, and how He opened a door of faith to the Gentiles
      2. They stay a long time in Antioch with the disciples

REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER

1) What are the main points of this chapter?
   - Preaching in Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe (1-21)
   - Confirming disciples and appointing elders (22-23)
   - Return to Antioch of Syria (24-28)

2) Upon their arrival in Iconium, what did Paul and Barnabas first do?
   (1)
   - They spoke at the Jewish synagogue, producing faith in many Jews
     and Greeks

3) What did the unbelieving Jews do in response? (2)
   - They stirred up and poisoned the minds of the Gentiles against them

4) What did Paul and Barnabas do?  Who was with them and how? (3)
   - Stayed a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord
   - The Lord, who bore witness to His word by granting signs and
     wonders to be done by the apostles' hands

5) As the city became divided, what attempt was made against Paul and
   Barnabas? (4-5)
   - To stone them

6) How did they respond to such a threat? (6-7)
   - By fleeing to the cities of Lystra and Derbe, and preaching the
     gospel there

7) What miracle did Paul perform in Lystra? (8-10)
   - He healed a man crippled from birth

8) How did the people react?  What names did they give to Paul and
   Barnabas? (11-12)
   - They thought that gods had come in the likeness of men
   - Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes

9) Who attempted to lead the city in offering sacrifices to them? (13)
   - The priest of Zeus, whose temple was in the front of the city

10) How did Barnabas and Paul restrain the crowd from offering the
    sacrifices? (14-18)
   - By tearing their clothes and crying out to the multitude
   - By professing themselves to be but men, and encouraging them to
     turn to the living God

11) How did the apostles describe the true God? (15-17)
   - As the Creator of all things who bore witness of Himself through
     His blessings to mankind

12) Who then came to the city and persuaded the people to stone Paul?
    (19)
   - Jews from Antioch (Pisidia) and Iconium

13) After Paul revived from his stoning, where did he and Barnabas go?
    (20)
   - First back to Lystra, and then on to Derbe

14) What happened in Derbe?  When they left, where did they go? (21)
   - They preached the gospel and made many disciples
   - They retraced their steps, going back through Lystra, Iconium, and
     Antioch

15) What did they do as they made their way through such cities? (22-23)
   - Strengthened the brethren, exhorting them to continue despite
     persecutions
   - Appointed elders in every church with prayer and fasting,
     commending them to God

16) Where they go after passing through Pisidia?  What did they do
    there? (24-25)
   - To Perga in Pamphylia, where they preached the gospel

17) From where did they then sail? (25-26)
   - Attalia

18) What is significant about Antioch of Syria? (26)
   - It was where they started and ended their missionary journey

19) What did Paul and Barnabas do upon their arrival? (27)
   - Gathered the church together and reported what God had done with
     them to open a door of faith among the Gentiles

20) How long did Paul and Barnabas remain in Antioch of Syria? (28)
   - A long time