2/5/20

“You People Are Crazy!” by Eric Lyons, M.Min.




“You People Are Crazy!”
by Eric Lyons, M.Min.
I freely admit that I believe a donkey spoke, an iron ax head floated, and a woman turned into a pillar of salt. As certain as I am of my own existence, I am convinced that water flowed from a rock, that a man’s severed ear was immediately reattached with the touch of a hand, and that dead people have come back to life. I believe that, not only did a burning bush not really burn up, but also that three men survived a fiery furnace without a single singed hair on their heads. I believe that a man spent three days inside of a sea creature and lived to tell about it.1 And yes, I believe a virgin gave birth to a Son, Who will one day “descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
Atheists, agnostics, and skeptics often ridicule Christians who believe in the various miracles recorded in the Bible. We are said to believe in superstition rather than science and in fairy tales rather than real facts. In reality, Christ was not crazy, and Christianity is not kooky. The Bible is absolutely believable. The whole matter of miracles is really quite simple, and yet profound.
Admittedly, if no supernatural God exists, then (1) the miracles of the Bible are make-believe, (2) the Bible itself is merely a work of fiction, and (3) Christians are very naïve. However, if an omniscient, omnipotent, supernatural Being does exist, then He could work any number of supernatural miracles (which are in harmony with His divine will). If there were no Universe, and He chose to create one, He could speak it into existence (Psalm 33:6-9). If He wanted to put on human flesh and dwell among mankind for a time, the all-powerful Creator could choose to interact with His creation “human”-to-human, face-to-face (John 1:1-3,14). If there were no written revelation from Him to mankind, He could certainly make that happen (2 Peter 1:20-21). He could ensure that writers of His choosing penned what He wanted mankind to know. If He wanted mankind to know that He created the world and everything in it, He could tell them through His divinely inspired writers. If He wanted His human creation to know about some of the miracles He worked through the millennia, again, He could communicate such information through His chosen writers.
In short, (1) if God exists, and (2) if the Bible is His Word, then genuine followers of Christ are not crazy at all. Since the evidence actually indicates that God does exist2 and the Bible is His inspired Word,3 then those who have followed this evidence to its logical conclusion4 have reasonably concluded that the miracles of the Bible make perfect sense.5
In reality, the highly irrational position is atheism. Naturalistic atheism contends that matter came from nothing, yet no such thing has ever been observed to happen naturally. Atheism says that biological life came from non-life, yet science has known for many decades that, in nature, life only comes from pre-existing life. Think about: Christians are supposedly crazy for believing that a supernatural God could supernaturally cause water to flow from a rock (Exodus 17:1-7), yet atheistic evolution contends that water evolved on Earth from dust and dirt over millions of years. How is it, exactly, that Christians are the unreasonable ones for believing that the omnipotent God of the Universe once miraculously used a donkey to speak intelligible words to a man (Numbers 22:22-34), when atheistic evolution gets by with peddling the supposed fact that donkeys evolved from fish? If God (Who created Adam’s ear in the beginning) chose to reattach a severed ear of one of Adam’s descendants (Luke 22:50-51), that’s purportedly “preposterous,” but believing that ears just evolved naturally over millions of years (as atheists contend) is supposedly “reasonable.”
In truth, when genuine, biblical Christianity and naturalistic atheism are compared and contrasted, one proves to be perfectly rational. “Come now, and let us reason together” (Isaiah 1:18). “Speak the words of truth and reason” (Acts 26:25). If God exists and the Bible is His Word, Christianity makes perfect sense. Whether you are an atheist, an agnostic, a skeptic, or even a Christian who is struggling with doubt, why not consider the many evidences which reveal that real Christianity is a reasonable religion. We hope and pray that Apologetics Press can help you in your pursuit of Truth.

ENDNOTES

1 All of these miracles are recorded in the following biblical passages: Numbers 22:22-40; 2 Kings 6:1-7; Genesis 19:15-26; Exodus 17:1-7; Luke 22:50-51; 1 Kings 17:17-24; Acts 9:36-42; Exodus 3:1-4; Daniel 3:19-30; Jonah 1:15-2:10; Matthew 1:18-25.
2 See Eric Lyons and Kyle Butt (2014), “7 Reasons to Believe in God,” Reason & Revelation, 34[10]:110-119, www.apologeticspress.org/apPubPage.aspx?pub=1&issue=1175. See also AP’s book Does God Exist? (www.apologeticspress.org/store/Product.aspx?pid=874), as well as the “Existence of God” section of the AP Web site (/APContent.aspx?category=12).
3 See Kyle Butt and Eric Lyons (2015), “3 Good Reasons to Believe the Bible is from God,” 35[1]:1-12, www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=13&article=5089&topic=102. See also AP’s book on the inspiration of the Bible, titled Behold! The Word of God (www.apologeticspress.org/store/Product.aspx?pid=8), as well as the “Inspiration of the Bible” section of the AP Web site (/APContent.aspx?category=13).
4 Admittedly, some misguided “Christians” claim to believe in all sorts of things for many foolish reasons. Real, biblical Christianity, however, is built upon solid proofs (Acts 1:1-4; John 5:31-47; 10:37-38), not “cunningly devised fables” (2 Peter 1:16).
5 The Bible makes clear that God has worked all manner of miracles in the past, and has the potential to work them at any moment. But, simply because God is more than capable of performing miracles at any time does not mean that He chooses to work such supernatural acts on or though mankind today. In this dispensation, the reason we do not see people miraculously have one of their severed ears reattached, or blind people given sight supernaturally, or dead people given new physical life, is not because God cannot do these things. Rather, it is because God has chosen to cease working such supernatural miracles during this time. Just as God has every right to work a miracle, He has every right to suspend the working of miracles on Earth for whatever amount of time He chooses. When the prophet Samuel was a boy, supernatural revelation from God was “rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation” (1 Samuel 3:1). Such rare supernatural revelation from God, however, was not due to a lack of ability on God’s part; rather, it was a choice that He had every right to make.
So why would God choose not to work miracles for a certain period of time, even for hundreds or thousands of years? Unlike magicians, who perform amusing tricks for entertainment purposes, God did not perform miracles for the sake of amusement. Biblical miracles were performed to confirm the Word (cf. Mark 16:20; Hebrews 2:3-4; cf. Exodus 5-12; John 3:2). What’s more, Paul stated that miracles would cease and be done away when the “perfect” (or completed Word of God) had been revealed (1 Corinthians 13:8-10; James 1:25). Once God revealed all of the information that He wished to make available to people, the need for miracles to confirm the oral Word came to an end. Those things that were incomplete and partial (miraculous gifts) would be replaced by the total and complete (the fully revealed, written Word of God).
For more information on the subject of miracles, see Dave Miller (2003), “Modern-Day Miracles, Tongue Speaking, and Holy Spirit Baptism: A Refutation—Extended Version,” Apologetics Press, www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=11&article=1399.

Why I Don't Attend The Baptist Church GEORGE L. FAULL



Why I Don't Attend The Baptist Church 

GEORGE L. FAULL


There are many things in which the Baptists do well.  Like Satan and the Demons:
1.                    They believe there is one God, James 2:19.
2.                    They believe Jesus is the Son of God, Mark 5:7.
3.                    They believe Jesus could do miracles, Matthew 9:3.
4.        They believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God,  Matthew 4:6.
5.        They quote Scripture, Matthew 4:6.
6.        They believe in Prophecy, Matthew 4:6.
7.        They believe demons will be tormented on the coming day of the judgment, Matthew 8:29.
8.        They believe that Jesus is the Holy one of God who was sent into the world, Mark 1:24.
Obviously, these are not good enough reasons to attend the Baptist Church because even demons believe this also.
9.                    Like the Pharisees, they are very evangelistic and compass land and sea to make one proselyte, Matthew 25:15.
10.              They call Jesus, Lord, Lord, Matthew 7:21.
11.               They do many wonderful works in His name, Matthew 7:22. 
12.     Like the Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, and Adventists, many have died on foreign soil for their faith and paid the ultimate price while trying to evangelize.
So obviously these are not good enough reasons to go to a Baptist Church, either.


HERE ARE THE REASONS WHY I DON’T ATTEND THE BAPTIST CHURCH:
1.          Their name does not give preeminence to Jesus Christ.  Colossians 1:18
2.                 They do not wear the prophesied name of God’s people that was to be given by the mouth of the Lord.  Isaiah 62:1-2, Acts 11:26
3.                 The Church, which is supposed to be Christ’s Bride, is called after the friend of the Bridegroom instead of the Bridegroom.  John 3:29
How would you like your bride to wear your best man’s name and your children to be called by his name instead of yours?
4.                 They have the wrong concept of man.  Ezekiel 18:2-3
They believe man inherited the guilt and nature of Adam and is born a sinner.  The Bible teaches that like sheep we all went astray, not that we were born astray.  We were not born prodigals but became prodigals and left our Father ourselves.  We must become as children, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven.  Does God want us to become little depraved sinners? 
Matthew 18:3  Little innocent babies are not born sinners.  Men die because Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and since none of us can eat of the Tree of Life and live forever, we die.  That’s the consequence of Adam’s sin, but I do not have his guilt.  I was lost because I personally sinned against a Holy God.
5.                They are Calvinistic and believe God’s Spirit has to miraculously convert men because man is so dead in sin he cannot ever come to faith unless God miraculously gives him faith as a gift.  They twist Ephesians 2:1-9. 
Faith is not a gift.  Salvation is the gift.  Faith comes by hearing the Word. Romans 10:17
Jesus told people they would not repent so they might believe.  Matthew 21:32
6.                They are Calvinistic and believe in the doctrine of election.
Their view is that God elects the believers to salvation and “whosoever” does not mean anyone but the elect.  The Bible says He died for the sins of the whole world.  I John 2:2
“He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”  II Peter 3:9
7.                 They believe that once you are saved or give evidence that you are part of the elect, you cannot be lost.
Our prisons per capita are filled with Baptists and Catholics because of their doctrinal views.  Doctrine effects behavior.  If I cannot be lost, there is very little reason to take heed, or beware or give diligence to make my election sure.  II Peter 1:10
8.                 Though they immerse their baptism is for the wrong reason.
To them it is a mere outward form of an inward act.  To them it is the first thing a Christian does instead of the last thing a sinner does.  It is not for the remission of sins, the way Peter said, but rather because your sins were already forgiven the moment you believed.  They ignore that if you are baptized because your sins are already remitted your repent for the same reason.  Acts 2:38   The word “and” is a conjunction uniting two things together. 
Their baptism is to get you into the Baptist Church, not into Christ.  They say baptism is a “work” and that “works”cannot get you into Heaven.  It follows then that if baptism is a “work,” you have to “work” your way into the Baptist Church.  If not, why not?
9.                 They have a false plan of salvation.
Just say the “sinner’s prayer” or “ask Jesus into your heart.”  These statements do not appear in Scripture in either words or concept.  Jesus knocking at the door is a picture of Jesus trying to get into His Church, not an aliens heart.  Revelation 3:14-22
10.              They abuse the Lord’s Great Commission.
Jesus said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” Mark 16:16.  It is not “he that believeth and is saved should be baptized.”  They say you do not have to be baptized to go to Heaven, but you do to get into the Baptist Church, proving it is easier to get into Heaven than it is to get into the Baptist Church.
11.             They commune as desired, usually quarterly, rather than following the apostolic example.
“They came together on the first day of the week to break bread.”  The only verse that tells us when they came together, tells why they came together – “to break bread.”  Acts 20:7
To gather to remember Him and not unveil His memorial is ludicrous.
12.             They abuse the purpose of the Lord’s Supper.
It is a time of personal examination.  It is to show forth (proclaim) the Lord’s death till He comes.  It is to look to the needs of the Brethren.  It is a memorial of what Christ has done for us.  In light of this, when they say “it would not be meaningful but would became common place to take it each week” shows total ignorance of the institution .  I Corinthians 11.  We are sharing in the benefits of His shed blood and body - I Corinthians 10:16.  How could sharing in the benefits of His blood be common place?  This borders on sacrilege and blasphemy. 
13.             Their Church government is foreign to the New Testament polity.
Instead of their Church having an evangelist, they have a Pastor.  Instead of a plurality of Elders, they have one Pastor who often does not meet the qualifications of an Elder.  The one man Pastor system is as foreign to the Scriptures as the Pope of Rome.  In Scriptures, Elders, Pastors, Bishops, overseers, shepherds, and Presbyters are all synonymous terms.  A boy running around with peach fuzz on his face cannot be a Pastor for he is not an Elder.  There is no such thing in the Bible as “The Pastor of my Church.”
14.             They are carnal for they divide and denominate themselves into factions, which Paul forbids.
Was John the Baptist crucified for you?  Were you baptized into his name?  Are they Baptists in contrast to Paul or Cephas or Apollos, or Christ?  Such naming of themselves is carnal and sectarian and is condemned by the Apostle Paul.  I Corinthians Chapters 1 and 3. 
15.            They usually have a creed or rules of discipline and follow a denominational hierarchy who decides who can be ordained to preach or be given a license to baptize.
When baptism is not done by such authorized men, Baptists consider it an invalid baptism.  One must have a license to baptize making their baptisms by the authority of the Baptist Church rather than by the authority of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  If I were to attend a Baptist Church, and lacked the authority of the Baptist Church, how could I obey the Great Commission?  Surely that would hinder my evangelism and obedience to Christ!
16.            They believe the Church was established long before the days of Pentecost in the days of John the Baptist.
They say, “John the Baptist was the first Baptist preacher.”  But after John died, Jesus spoke of the future and said, “I will build my Church.”
17.             Contrary to James, they teach one is saved by “faith only.”
Those two words appear together only once in Scripture and that verse claims one is “justified by works and not, by faith only.”  James 2:4
They cannot harmonize Paul who said we are “justified by faith and not by works” and James who says we are justified “by works and not by faith only.”  They ignore that the works Paul spoke of referred to the “works of the law” and James spoke of the “works of faith.”  It is ironic that baptism is the only thing mentioned in all nine conversions but it’s the one thing Baptists say you do not need to do to be saved. 
18.             They deny that Jesus is now King, sitting on David’s throne, but that his kingdom is yet future.
They teach that the Church is a substitute for a Jewish based kingdom over which Jesus personally will rule from Jerusalem.  They ignore Jesus is a Priest and King on His throne Zechariah 6:13.  Jesus cannot serve as a priest on earth because He is from Judah.  Hebrews 7:14
Heaven is His throne and the earth but his footstool.  Acts 7:49
He reigns till the last enemy is destroyed.  The last enemy is death and it will be destroyed at His coming.  He then turns the Kingdom over to the Father and subjects Himself to His Father forever (I Corinthians 15).
He is not coming to rule from His footstool.  He rules from His throne in Heaven now and will turn the kingdom over to His Father when He comes.
19.             Their refusal to practice Church discipline as outlined in I Corinthians 5 disturbs me.
I would feel insecure if my family and I never had the advantage of Church discipline in disciplining us if we fall into sin.  I’ve never known a Baptist Church to discipline its members. 
Was Bill Clinton disciplined for his immorality?  Or Al Gore for advocating abortion?  Billy Graham and his heresy and recommendations of the worse of modernists and Christ-denying-liberals are not rebuked.  Have these ever been rebuked by the Baptist denomination?  Their “live and let live” philosophy is unwholesome as well as unholy.  A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
20.           They have over a thousand women ordained in the ministry and even had Anne Graham Lotz speak at their large conventions with denominational approval.
But this is a prohibition of God.  I Timothy 2:12, I Corinthians 14:34
21.           I would have to explain why they are called “Baptist Churches” but have “Christian Schools” while insisting there is nothing in a name.
I don’t think I could ever explain that to my own satisfaction, let alone to someone else.  How could I maintain my own integrity and try to defend such a concept?
Now I realize that there are as many kinds of Baptists as Heinz has products.  They differ on one or two of these points, but the great majority holds to all these beliefs.
In light of all of this, I could not support with my influence or money the Baptist Church.  Since they all believe that all one must do to be saved is ask Jesus into your heart to be saved and once you are saved you cannot be lost, I am totally at loss as to why they divide into 57 varieties.  If it’s not a matter of salvation and you can never be lost why allow friction and division on anything?
You say there is nothing in a name?  Try putting your name on my check or my car title or the deed to my house.  As one old lady said, “I’ve been a Baptist for 57 years and you’re not going to make a Christian out of me now.”
If you’re a Christian, don’t let them make a Baptist out of you!  Don’t be a hybrid “Christian.”  Just simply be a Christian.

NO CREED BUT CHRIST

No Book but the Bible
No Name but the Divine.

Speak where the Bible Speaks
Be silent where the Bible is silent
Call scripture things by Scriptural names.
Restoration brings unity rather than division.

The Influence Of An Evil Father by B. Johnson


The Influence Of An Evil Father

“Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin: For he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the LORD God of Israel, according to all that his father had done” (1 Kings 22:51-53).
What kind of example had Ahab been for his son?
- He had married a foreign worshipper of Baal (1 Kings 16:31).
- He let his wife entice him to be wicked (1 Kings 16:31-33).
- Ahab believed in God (wearing sackcloth and going softly) but he was not willing to stand up against his wicked wife (1 Kings 21:7).
- He was covetousness in desiring his neighbor’s property (1 Kings 21:1-3).
- Ahab showed extreme self-pity, being like a spoiled child turning his head to the wall and refusing to eat when he could not attain his covetous desires (1 Kings 21:4).
- He allowed his wicked wife to use his authority to murder an innocent man (1 Kings 21:7-16).
- His wickedness affected and was finally the cause that his own children were destroyed (1 Kings 21:21-22; 2 Kings 10:6-7).
- He gave wicked counsel that affected and finally destroyed the king of Judah (2 Chronicles 22:4).
- Because of his wife’s influence, he murdered every prophet of God he could find (2 Kings 9:7-8).
- He was totally unfaithful in letting Benhadad live when God placed him in his hands to be killed (1 Kings 20:43-49).
- He was an example of God’s judgment of wickedness in high places.
- God said that he did more evil than all that were before him (1 Kings 16:30).
- He was an example that is hardly surpassed for wickedness in all of history.
God’s prophecy against the house of Ahab was completely fulfilled (1 Kings 21:20-24; 2 Kings 9:6-10; 2 Kings 10:1-11; 2 Kings 9:35-37; 2 Chr 22:7-9). In 2 Kings 10:1-11, we read about Ahab’s seventy sons in the city of Jezreel in Samaria who were being brought up by the great men of the city. Jehu sent letters and told the men to slay those sons and bring their heads in a basket to be laid in heaps at the gate of the city. When Jehu saw these sons’ heads, he said, “Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the LORD hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah. So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolk, and his priests, until he left him none remaining.”
“And I will make Jerusalem heaps, and a den of dragons; and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant. ... Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein; But have walked after the imagination of their own heart, and after Baalam, which their fathers taught them” (Jer 9:11, 14).
Beth Johnson
The Scripture quotations in this article are from
The New King James Version. ©1979,1980,1982,
Thomas Nelson Inc., Publishers.
Permission for reference use has been granted.

Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)

An election is coming: Your choice is? by Gary Rose




I watched the State of the Union address by our president. For Donald Trump, it was a reserved, very positive speech. Depending upon ones political party- you either loved it or hated it. Frankly, I couldn’t sleep because of the hatred I saw in the house of representatives. This is nothing new, for the Democratic party called for Donald Trump’s impeachment and removal from office even before he became president.

As I lay in bed, I remembered this sign I posted to my Facebook page yesterday. To the best of my knowledge, it accurately reflects the views of both major political parties.

As I lay there praying for this great country, I understood that the uproar for or against what was said really had nothing to do with personalities, but rather about world-views. And I thought of the following Scripture…

Joshua 24 ( World English Bible )
[14]  “Now therefore fear Yahweh, and serve him in sincerity and in truth. Put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River, in Egypt; and serve Yahweh.  [15] If it seems evil to you to serve Yahweh, choose this day whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve Yahweh.

Now, that sign is a little crude and unsophisticated, but it does present a choice and a very important one. Frankly, I like both the sign and Joshua’s choice; to me they are the same thing.

PS. Remember one thing…

Adolph Hitler was a Democratic Socialist!

2/3/20

"STUDIES IN THE MINOR PROPHETS" Introduction To The Minor Prophets by Mark Copeland 


"STUDIES IN THE MINOR PROPHETS"

Introduction To The Minor Prophets
INTRODUCTION

1. While Christians are not under the Old Testament as a system of 
   justification, the OT is of great value for us today...
   a. Written for our learning, it is a source of comfort and hope - Ro 15:4
   b. Written for our admonition, we learn what mistakes to avoid - 1Co 10:11
   c. As with all scripture inspired of God, it is profitable "for 
      doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in 
      righteousness" - cf. 2Ti 3:14-17

2. This is especially true with regard to "The Minor Prophets"...
   a. A collection of twelve books that make up the last part of the 
      Old Testament
   b. Beginning with Hosea, and ending with Malachi

3. Those willing to study these books will find their lives enriched as
   they increase...
   a. Their knowledge of God's holiness, righteousness, justice and mercy
   b. Their understanding of God's dealings in the nations of men
   c. Their appreciation of the Bible as a literary masterpiece

[With this lesson, we begin a series of studies in which we will survey
"The Minor Prophets". Before we examine our first book, some 
introductory material may prove helpful...]

I. WHO WERE THE PROPHETS?

   A. THE OLD COVENANT HAD DIFFERENT KINDS OF INSTRUCTORS...
      1. There was Moses, the lawgiver - Neh 8:1,14; 9:13-14; Jn 1:17; 7:19
      2. There were the priests, administrators of the law 
          - Lev 10: 8-11; Hos 4:6; Eze 22:26; Mal 2:7
      3. There were the wise men, who gave counsel - 2Sa 14:1-24; 20:16-22
      4. There were the psalmists, poets who were the "sweet singers" 
         of Israel - cf. 2Sa 23:1; 1Ch 6:33
      5. There were the prophets, communicators of the Word of God

   B. A "PROPHET" WAS A SPOKESMAN FOR ANOTHER...
      1. Like Aaron was for his brother Moses - Exo 4:16; 7:1
      2. The word literally means "to boil up like a fountain"
      3. Under the influence of the Holy Spirit, a prophet...
         a. Was a spokesman for God - 2Pe 1:21
         b. Was given something to say, and had to say it! - Jer 20:7-9
      4. A prophet was primarily a "forth-teller", though sometimes a "fore-teller"
         a. God's word often pertained to future events
         b. The fulfilled prophecies of these prophets are therefore a
            strong proof of inspiration
         -- But much of their word concerned not the future, but current events

   C. OTHER DESIGNATIONS HELP TO DEFINE THE ROLE OF A PROPHET...
      1. Early in Israel's history they were called "seers" - 1Sa 9:9
      2. Another appellation was "man of God" - 1Sa 9:6; 1Ki 17:18
      3. Also known as a "servant of God" - 1Ki 18:36; 1Ch 6:49
      4. They served as God's "messenger" - Isa 42:19
      5. They were also assigned the role of "watchman" - Eze 3:17; 33:7

[The prophets were therefore servants of God, divinely appointed and 
inspired to proclaim His Word. At times, they were messengers of God's 
word as it applied to the present, serving as watchmen of the people of
God; other times, God's message pertained to the future, and as such 
they were "seers" of things to come.]

II. HOW ARE THE PROPHETS CLASSIFIED?

   A. IT IS COMMON TO SPEAK OF "ORAL" AND "LITERARY" PROPHETS...
      1. The "oral" prophets are those who left no writings bearing their names
         a. Such as Elijah and Elisha - cf. 1Ki 17; 2Ki 2
         b. Many others, including Nathan (2Sa 12), Gad (2 Sam 24:11),
             Ahijah (1Ki 11:29)
      2. Those who left books bearing their names are called the
          "literary" prophets

   B. THE LITERARY PROPHETS ARE CATEGORIZED AS "MAJOR" AND "MINOR"
      PROPHETS...
      1. Augustine is credited with being the first to classify them in this way
      2. The distinction pertains only to the length of the books
         a. The "major prophets" include the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah,
            Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel
         b. The "minor prophets" are those twelve books from Hosea to Malachi

[As we consider the works of the "literary" prophets, we should note 
that the order of the books in our Bibles is not chronological.  
Therefore it may serve useful to review...]

III. THE LITERARY PROPHETS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER

Please note:  Dating the prophets is not without controversy, and with
some it can be very difficult. What I provide below are the estimates 
among many conservative scholars...

   A. NINTH CENTURY (EARLY ASSYRIAN PERIOD)
      1. Obadiah (ca. 845 B.C)
      2. Joel (ca 830 B.C.)
      3. Jonah (790-750 B.C.)
      -- This is during the period of "The Divided Kingdom" in Israel's
         history; to the north and east the empire of Assyria was 
         beginning to make its presence known in Israel

   B. EIGHTH CENTURY (ASSYRIAN PERIOD)
      1. Amos (755 B.C.)
      2. Hosea (750-725 B.C.)
      3. Isaiah (740-700 B.C.)
      4. Micah (735-700 B.C.)
      -- In 722 B.C., the northern kingdom of Israel was taken into 
         Assyrian captivity; these prophets were proclaiming God's 
         message as the nation was being threatened from the north

   C. SEVENTH CENTURY (CHALDEAN PERIOD)
      1. Jeremiah (626-586 B.C.)
      2. Zephaniah (630-625 B.C.)
      3. Nahum (625-612 B.C.)
      4. Habakkuk (625-605 B.C.)
      -- Assyria was eventually defeated by Babylon; these prophets 
         served as God's messengers when the Babylonian empire 
         threatened the kingdom of Judah

   D. SIXTH CENTURY (THE EXILE)
      1. Ezekiel (593-570 B.C.)
      2. Daniel (605-536 B.C.)
      -- Like many of their countrymen, these prophets were taken into
         Babylonian captivity; from Babylon they served as God's 
         messengers to both captives and kings

   E. SIXTH AND FIFTH CENTURIES (POST-EXILIC PERIOD)
      1. Haggai (520 B.C.)
      2. Zechariah (520-518 B.C.)
      3. Malachi (ca. 440 B.C.)
      -- After the Jews were allowed to return home from Babylonian 
         captivity, God used Haggai and Zechariah to encourage the 
         people to rebuild the temple; later, Malachi was used to 
         reform the priesthood during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah

[Finally, here are some thoughts on...]

IV. UNDERSTANDING THE MESSAGE OF THE PROPHETS

   A. THREE THINGS TO BEAR IN MIND AS YOU STUDY THE PROPHETS...
      1. Seek to understand the political, social and religious 
         conditions of the times
         a. Any interpretation must consider how the message was 
            relevant for the people to whom the prophet spoke
         b. Secondary fulfillment of prophecy is often found in the NT,
            but this can be understood only when applied by inspired 
            writers of the NT
         c. Guard against making interpretations that are purely  speculative
         d. Any application to modern events must be carefully 
            harmonized in light of the NT
      2. Consider God's relation to the heathen nations (i.e., other 
         than Israel and Judah)
         a. The prophets often revealed how God directed their destiny 
            and judged them
         b. This may provide insight as to how Christ rules the nations
            today! - cf. Mt 28:18; Re 1:5; 2:26;27
      3. Note any teaching regarding the Messiah and His coming kingdom
         - Ac 26:6-7; 28:20
         a. The immediate mission of most prophets was to save God's 
            people from idolatry and wickedness
         b. Failing that, they were sent to announce God's judgment and
            the coming destruction of the nation
         c. But many prophets left a message of hope for the future, 
            regarding the Messiah who would come and establish a 
            kingdom that could never be destroyed!
         
   B. SOME OF THE GREAT THEMES DEVELOPED BY THE PROPHETS...
      1. The holiness of God - He is absolutely pure, righteous, just,
         merciful, tender, loving, and longsuffering
      2. The sovereignty of God - He rules the universe and is above all
      3. The immutability of God's word
         a. He carries out His promises
         b. One can depend upon Him to act consistently with His Word
      4. The terribleness of sin
         a. God abhors iniquity, and will not tolerate, overlook, nor excuse it
         b. But He is willing to forgive those who humbly repent
      5. Repentance and righteousness
         a. This is the clarion call of the prophets
         b. Though severe is God's punishment of the wicked, yet God's
            mercy is great in loving kindness upon the righteous who 
            are of broken spirit and contrite heart
      6. The worship due God - The proper reverence, awe, and respect
         for God will cause one to praise Him and give thanks for His 
         wonderful grace and mercy!

CONCLUSION

1. Why study "The Minor Prophets"?
   a. This question was asked by a dear sister in Christ, when I 
      preached this series before
   b. She did not see the value of Christians studying this portion of
      the Old Testament
   c. Yet, she later remarked how much she got out of our study

2. Why study "The Minor Prophets"? Because in them we learn about...
   a. The nature of God, His holiness, justice, righteousness and mercy
   b. The workings of God, as He dealt with nations, bringing judgment
      upon the guilty
   ...which can help us in our relationship with God today, giving us 
      comfort and hope to face the future, knowing that God is in 
      ultimate control!
   
I hope this brief introduction has whetted your appetite to study "The 
Minor Prophets". Our next lesson will begin the study in earnest with
a look at the book of Obadiah...


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“The Man Upstairs” by Kyle Butt, M.Div.



“The Man Upstairs”

by Kyle Butt, M.Div.
Maybe you have been in a conversation when a person used the phrase “the Man upstairs.” In fact, it might be the case that you have used it yourself. Most people understand that this phrase is supposed to refer to God. The famous country singer Garth Brooks performed a song, titled “Unanswered Prayers,” in which he referred to God as “the Man upstairs.” Let’s consider some possible implications that this idea may contain.
There seems to be a human tendency to view God as “the Big Man,” or “the Man upstairs,” and attribute to Him human qualities. Most of the time, when a person uses such phrases, that person attributes to God more power than other men, and places God higher (upstairs) than other men, but still views God as some kind of giant, powerful Man. In fact, the Greek and Roman religions took the “Man upstairs” idea to its logical conclusion and attributed to their gods personalities and character flaws that were seen in mere men. The pagan deities lied, cheated, stole, consorted, and murdered like “little” humans, only their dastardly deeds were perceived to be on a cosmic scale.
In truth, the Bible paints a very different picture of God than is contained in the thought of “the Man upstairs.” The Bible repeatedly insists that God is not a man. In Numbers 23:19, in an inspired oracle, Balak stated: “God is not a man, that He should lie.” The prophet Isaiah wrote: “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts’” (55:8-9). The true God of heaven is nothing like the ancient pagan deities with their lies and hypocrisy. The God of heaven “cannot lie” (Titus 1: 2), nor can He even be tempted with evil (James 1:13). In fact, God is perfect in every way, “a God of truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is He” (Deuteronomy 32:4).
While it is true that the Bible sometimes describes God with human traits (called anthropomorphisms), like having hands or eyes, it is not true that God is just a bigger, higher Man. He is altogether perfect, “Whose judgments are unsearchable and Whose ways are past finding out” (Romans 11:33). Let us always bear in mind as we approach our God in worship and prayer, that we are approaching the Perfect God of Heaven “to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 4:11).
[NOTE: Of course we understand that Jesus was called the Son of Man, and became a Man. Unlike other men, however, Jesus lived a perfect life and never sinned. This brief article is solely intended to encourage us not to view God as having the same character flaws, failings, and limitations as men and to refer to him in an accurate, reverent way.]

“The First Day of the Week” by Eric Lyons, M.Min.





“The First Day of the Week”

by Eric Lyons, M.Min.
All four gospel accounts reveal how Jesus rose (and His tomb was found empty) “on the first day of the week” (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2,9; Luke 24:1; John 20:1; cf. 20:19). Years later, Paul wrote to the Corinthian church commanding them to make regular contributions “on the first day of the week” (1 Corinthians 16:2; or “on the first day of every week”—NASB, NIV, RSV). Luke recorded in the book of Acts how Paul, while on his third missionary journey, assembled with the Christians in Troas “on the first day of the week” (20:7). The phrase “the first day of the week” appears eight times in the most widely used English translations of the New Testament. Based on this reading of the text, along with various supplemental passages (e.g., Revelation 1:10), Christians assemble to worship God on Sunday. Upon looking at the Greek text, however, some have questioned the integrity of the translation “the first day of the week,” wondering if a better wording would be “the Sabbath day.”
Admittedly, a form of the Greek word for sabbath (sabbaton or sabbatou) does appear in each of the eight passages translated “first day of the week.” For example, in Acts 20:7 this phrase is translated from the Greek mia ton sabbaton. However, sabbaton (or sabbatou) is never translated as “the Sabbath day” in these passages. Why? Because the word is used in these contexts (as Greek scholars overwhelmingly agree) to denote a “week” (Perschbacher, 1990, p. 364), “a period of seven days” (Danker, et al., 2000, p. 910; cf. Thayer, 1962, p. 566). Jesus once used the term “Sabbath” in this sense while teaching about the sinfulness of self-righteousness (Luke 18:9). He told a parable of the sanctimonious Pharisee who prayed: “God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess” (18:11-12, emp. added). The phrase “twice a week” comes from the Greek dis tou sabbatou. Obviously Jesus was not saying that the Pharisee boasted of fasting twice on the Sabbath day, but twice (dis) a week (tou sabbatou).
According to R.C.H. Lenski, since “[t]he Jews had no names for the weekdays,” they “designated them with reference to their Sabbath” (1943, p. 1148). Thus, mia ton sabbaton means “the first (day) with reference to the Sabbath,” i.e., the first (day) following the Sabbath (Lenski, p. 1148), or, as we would say in 21st century English, “the first day of the week.”
After spending years examining Jewish writings in the Babylonian Talmud, Hebraist John Lightfoot wrote A Commentary on the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica, in which he expounded upon the Hebrew method of counting the days of the week. He noted: “The Jews reckon the days of the week thus; One day (or the first day) of the sabbath: two (or the second day) of the sabbath;” etc. (1859, 2:375, emp. in orig.). Lightfoot then quoted from two different Talmud tractates. Maccoth alludes to those who testify on “the first of the sabbath” about an individual who stole an ox. Judgment was then passed the following day—“on the second day of the sabbath” (Lightfoot, 2:375, emp. in orig.; Maccoth, Chapter 1). Bava Kama describes ten enactments ordained by a man named Ezra, including the public reading of the law “on the second and fifth days of the sabbath,” and the washing of clothes “on the fifth day of the sabbath” (Lightfoot, 2:375; Bava Kama, Chapter 7). In Michael Rodkinson’s 1918 translation of Maccoth and Bava Kama, he accurately translated “the second day of the sabbath” as Monday, “the fifth day of the sabbath” as Thursday, and “the first of the sabbath” as Sunday.
If the word sabbaton in passages such as Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:2, and Acts 20:7 actually denoted “the Sabbath day,” rather than “a period of seven days,” one would expect some of the foremost Bible translations to translate it thusly. Every major English translation of the Bible, however, translates mia ton sabbaton as “the first day of the week.” Why? Because scholars are aware of the Jewish method of counting the days of the week by using the Sabbath as a reference point.
Finally, consider the difficulty that would arise with Jesus’ resurrection story if sabbaton was translated Sabbath. “Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. Very early in the morning, on the first Sabbath (sabbaton), they came to the tomb when the sun had risen” (emp. added). Such a rending of sabbaton in Mark 16:2 would be nonsensical. The Sabbath was over, and the mia ton sabbaton (“first day of the week”) had begun. The passage is understood properly only when one recognizes the Jewish method of reckoning weekdays.
Just as second century apologists Justin Martyr (ca. A.D. 150) spoke of Jesus as rising from the dead “on the first day after the Sabbath” (Dialogue..., 41), and equated this day with “Sunday” (“First Apology,” 67), so should 21st century Christians. That Jesus rose from the dead “on the first day of the week” (Mark 16:9), and that Christians gathered to worship on this day (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2; cf. Justin Martyr, “First Apology,” 67), is an established fact. Sunday is the first day after the Jewish Sabbath—the “first day of the week.”

REFERENCES

Danker, Frederick William, William Arndt, and F.W. Gingrich, (2000), Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press).
Justin Martyr, (1973 reprint), Dialogue with Trypho, in The Ante-Nicene Fathers (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans).
Justin Martyr (1973 reprint), First Apology, in The Ante-Nicene Fathers (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans).
Lenski, R.C.H. (1943), The Interpretation of St. Matthew’s Gospel (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg).
Lightfoot, John (1979 reprint), A Commentary on the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker).
Perschbacher, Wesley J., ed. (1990), The New Analytical Greek Lexicon (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson).
Rodkinson, Michael, trans. (1918), The Babylonian Talmud, [On-line], URL: http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/talmud.htm#t06.
Thayer, Joseph (1962 reprint), Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan).
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