Wanted: Three snake charmers

Now, there is something you don't see everyday; a three headed cobra!!!  I wonder if it would take three snake charmers to control this baby?  In any event, it made me think of the unholy trinity in the book of Revelation.  And judgment...

WEB: Revelation of John Chapter 20

[10] The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are also. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

[11] I saw a great white throne, and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. There was found no place for them. [12] I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works. [13] The sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them. They were judged, each one according to his works. [14] Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.

No one really LIKES to think about DEATH, but it is a fact of LIFE!!!  After death, then what?  Judgment!!!!  Everything in this world has a price; you pay for what you do, in one way or another.  Unpleasant fact, but true!!!!  To those who follow Jesus, its good to know that our lives are not lived in vain; they have purpose and a very, very happy ending!!!!!!  Apart from Jesus?  Disobeyed the Word of God?  Backslidden?  Atheist, Agnostic, Hedonist, Satanist or perhaps you just don't care about the "religion" scene?  Bad news, very bad news!!!  It doesn't have to be that way though; if you are reading this, you still have time... change your ways and live; I mean not just now, but forever.  Forever is a long time, life is short, you choose.  As for me, I do not want to be where the unholy trinity is and I do not want to face the judgment alone... I want Jesus right by my side to save me.  Do you?

Mar. 12 Exodus 22

Mar. 12

Exodus 22

Exo 22:1 "If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it, or sells it; he shall pay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.

Exo 22:2 If the thief is found breaking in, and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no guilt of bloodshed for him.

Exo 22:3 If the sun has risen on him, there shall be guilt of bloodshed for him; he shall make restitution. If he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.

Exo 22:4 If the stolen property is found in his hand alive, whether it is ox, donkey, or sheep, he shall pay double.

Exo 22:5 "If a man causes a field or vineyard to be eaten, and lets his animal loose, and it grazes in another man's field, he shall make restitution from the best of his own field, and from the best of his own vineyard.

Exo 22:6 "If fire breaks out, and catches in thorns so that the shocks of grain, or the standing grain, or the field are consumed; he who kindled the fire shall surely make restitution.

Exo 22:7 "If a man delivers to his neighbor money or stuff to keep, and it is stolen out of the man's house; if the thief is found, he shall pay double.

Exo 22:8 If the thief isn't found, then the master of the house shall come near to God, to find out if he hasn't put his hand to his neighbor's goods.

Exo 22:9 For every matter of trespass, whether it be for ox, for donkey, for sheep, for clothing, or for any kind of lost thing, about which one says, 'This is mine,' the cause of both parties shall come before God. He whom God condemns shall pay double to his neighbor.

Exo 22:10 "If a man delivers to his neighbor a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any animal to keep, and it dies or is injured, or driven away, no man seeing it;

Exo 22:11 the oath of Yahweh shall be between them both, whether he hasn't put his hand to his neighbor's goods; and its owner shall accept it, and he shall not make restitution.

Exo 22:12 But if it is stolen from him, he shall make restitution to its owner.

Exo 22:13 If it is torn in pieces, let him bring it for evidence. He shall not make good that which was torn.

Exo 22:14 "If a man borrows anything of his neighbor's, and it is injured, or dies, its owner not being with it, he shall surely make restitution.

Exo 22:15 If its owner is with it, he shall not make it good. If it is a leased thing, it came for its lease.

Exo 22:16 "If a man entices a virgin who isn't pledged to be married, and lies with her, he shall surely pay a dowry for her to be his wife.

Exo 22:17 If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.

Exo 22:18 "You shall not allow a sorceress to live.

Exo 22:19 "Whoever has sex with an animal shall surely be put to death.

Exo 22:20 "He who sacrifices to any god, except to Yahweh only, shall be utterly destroyed.

Exo 22:21 "You shall not wrong an alien, neither shall you oppress him, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.

Exo 22:22 "You shall not take advantage of any widow or fatherless child.

Exo 22:23 If you take advantage of them at all, and they cry at all to me, I will surely hear their cry;

Exo 22:24 and my wrath will grow hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.

Exo 22:25 "If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be to him as a creditor; neither shall you charge him interest.

Exo 22:26 If you take your neighbor's garment as collateral, you shall restore it to him before the sun goes down,

Exo 22:27 for that is his only covering, it is his garment for his skin. What would he sleep in? It will happen, when he cries to me, that I will hear, for I am gracious.

Exo 22:28 "You shall not blaspheme God, nor curse a ruler of your people.

Exo 22:29 "You shall not delay to offer from your harvest and from the outflow of your presses. "You shall give the firstborn of your sons to me.

Exo 22:30 You shall do likewise with your cattle and with your sheep. Seven days it shall be with its mother, then on the eighth day you shall give it to me.

Exo 22:31 "You shall be holy men to me, therefore you shall not eat any flesh that is torn by animals in the field. You shall cast it to the dogs.

"THE BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES" Chapter One by Mark Copeland

 "THE BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES"

                              Chapter One

OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER

1) To consider the author, theme, and underlying question of this book

2) To note the Preacher's observations about the cycles of life, and
   his conclusion regarding the value of human wisdom

SUMMARY

Ecclesiastes opens with a prologue in which the author identifies
himself, declares his theme, and introduces the question addressed in
this book.  He describes himself as "the Preacher, the son of David,
king in Jerusalem" (cf. 1:12).  As he begins his "sermon", he does so
in way that certainly grabs your attention:  declaring all to be vanity
(meaningless).  Having our attention, he asks the question that will be
answered in the course of his sermon:  what profit does a man have from
all his labor in which he toils under the sun (1-3)?

It is a question that is prompted by what he sees in the cycles of
life.  Generations of people come and go.  The sun rises and sets, only
to do the same day after day.  Wind currents and water cycles are 
constantly repeated, and man is never satisfied with what he sees or 
hears.  While we think new things are being done, it is only because we
don't remember the past.  In reality there is nothing new under the sun
(4-11).

With the question introduced, the Preacher describes his own search.
As king over Israel in Jerusalem, he wanted to know what everyone one 
wants to know - what profit is there for all the labor done under the 
sun?  Right up front he tells us what he found:  all is vanity and
grasping for the wind.  Having been blessed with greatness and wisdom
(from God, cf. 1Ki 3:12-13), he began his search exploring wisdom,
madness and folly.  He found that much wisdom and knowledge (i.e.,
human wisdom) was only the source of much grief and sorrow (12-18).

OUTLINE

I. PROLOGUE TO THE BOOK (1:1-3)

   A. AUTHOR IDENTIFIED (1)
      1. The words of the Preacher
      2. The son of David, king in Jerusalem

   B. THEME STATED (2)
      1. "Vanity of vanities...vanity of vanities, all is vanity"
      2. All is futile, useless, meaningless!

   C. QUESTION RAISED (3)
      1. "What profit has a man from all his labor in which he toils
         under the sun?"
      2. This is the question the "Preacher" sought to answer

II. FUTILITY OBSERVED IN THE CYCLES OF LIFE (1:4-11)

   A. NOTHING SEEMS TO CHANGE (4-7)
      1. Generations come and go, while the earth abides forever
      2. The sun is constant with its rising and setting 
      3. The winds continue their whirling cycle
      4. The water cycle also, as rivers run into the seas, and then
         through evaporation and rain return to the rivers again

   B. NOTHING SEEMS TO SATISFY (8)
      1. Despite all our labors, man is never truly satisfied
      2. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with
         hearing

   C. NOTHING IS NEW UNDER THE SUN (9-11)
      1. What will be done is that which has been done
      2. If thought to be new, it is has been done in ancient times
      3. We simply don't remember the past, nor will the future
         remember the present

III. THE FUTILITY OF HUMAN WISDOM (1:12-18)

   A. THE PREACHER DESCRIBES HIS SEARCH (12-15)
      1. He was king over Israel in Jerusalem
      2. He determined to use wisdom to seek and search all that has
         been done "under heaven"
      3. A task that he understood God had given to all men, to
         challenge them
      4. He summarizes what he found, having seen all the works done
         "under the sun"
         a. They are vanity and grasping for the wind
         b. For there is little one can do to make significant changes

   B. THE PREACHER APPLIED HIS GOD-GIVEN WISDOM (16-17a)
      1. He acknowledged the greatness and wisdom he had attained
      2. He therefore sought to apply it to understand wisdom, madness,
         and folly

   C. THE PREACHER CONCLUDES (HUMAN) WISDOM IS FUTILE (17b-18)
      1. It was like grasping for wind
      2. More wisdom and knowledge just increases grief and sorrow

REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER

1) What are the main points of this chapter?
   - Prologue to the book (1-3)
   - Futility observed in the cycles of life (4-11)
   - Futility of human wisdom (12-18)

2) How does the author describe himself? (1)
   - The Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem

3) What is the theme of this book, as stated in verse 2?
   - "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity"

4) What is the key question that this book seeks to address? (3)
   - "What profit has a man from all in his labor in which he toils
     under the sun?"

5) What illustrations are given to show the futility observed in the
   cycles of life? (4-7)
   - The passing of generations
   - The rising and setting of the sun
   - The whirling cycles of the wind
   - The water cycle, from rain to sea back to rain

6) What is never satisfied? (8)
   - The eye with seeing, the ear with hearing

7) Why is there nothing new under the sun? (9)
   - History simply repeats itself

8) Why do we think something is new? (10-11)
   - We have forgotten what has happened in history

9) What did the Preacher determine to do?  Why? (13)
   - To seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under
     heaven
   - It was something God has given man to do

10) Having seen the works done under the sun, what did he conclude?
    Why? (14-15)
   - All is vanity and grasping for the wind
   - Because one cannot make any significant changes that are lasting

11) What did he acknowledge he had attained? (16)
   - Great wisdom and understanding

12) What did he set his heart to know? (17)
   - Wisdom, madness, and folly

13) What conclusion did he draw?  Why? (18)
   - It was grasping for the wind
   - For in much wisdom is much grief, and increasing knowledge
     increases sorrow