Re-Post Friday

What does it mean to be a working Christian? Find out HERE!

Ecclesiology 101 Part 2

Before we go too far into our study of the church, it is important that we understand who makes up the church and what the purpose of the church is. Understanding these two aspects will allow us to begin to identify not only true members of the church, but also churches that are upholding the purpose as defined by scripture.

First, we are going to identify who makes up the church. It is a sad fact, but not everyone who steps inside a church actually belongs to the church body. This is because of what the word “ekklesia” means. The Greek word is used to describe an assembly of people, they are the called out ones and it becomes the technical word for those who are called out of this world and joined together with Christ. Meaning that the church can only be made up of individuals who have accepted the works of Jesus Christ and recognize Him as their Lord and Savior. Church is not a building, it is a group of people who have been united through Christ. It does not matter the individual’s background, if they are Jew or Gentile, if they have submitted to Christ then they are a member of the Church.

However, it is important to understand that the Church has not replaced the Jews in God’s eyes. There are eternal promises of God to His people that cannot be altered or taken away. These include promises of a national entity (Jer. 31:36), a land of their own (Gen. 13:15), a king (Jer. 33:20-21), and a kingdom (2 Sam. 7:16). The church has not replaced the Jewish people in these promises, and one very important identifier of a true body of believers is whether or not they believe this. Those out there who deny God’s plan for the Jewish people are denying not only Scripture but also God’s future promises. If you are a part of a church building that preaches this replacement theology, it is not a member of the true body of Christ.

Now that we understand who makes up the members of the true church, it is important to understand what the church’s purpose is. Despite what some so called churches will say, the purpose of the true church is not the conversion of the whole world. We have already seen that the church are those who have been called out from the world, and we know that Scripture states that there will come a day that the world will be filled with believers. However, this day will come after the church has been raptured and after Jesus has returned to rule on earth, not before. Mankind cannot usher in this age, it is only done through Christ.

So if the Church is not meant to bring into place this age, what is the purpose? You may be thinking of Christ’s words in Matthew 28:16-20 which calls for believers to go and make disciples of every nation, and you would be correct. However, this passage is not the only one that relates to the purpose of the church. Matthew 16:18 and Eph. 2:21-22 both describe the church as something that grows. Christ states that He will build His church while Paul says that it is a structure of living stones. This means that the purpose of the church is to grow the body of true believers. It is to bring those who will be called out of the world into the body of Christ and the Church is to grow believers in their understanding of who God is and what His word states. We are not called to stay the same, but to grow.

I do think it is important to make one quick distinction regarding sharing the gospel. To share the gospel and grow the church does not simply stop with unbelievers becoming born-again, it is also helping those who are born-again grow in their faith. I have never personally led someone to the Lord, and there are some out there who would give the impression that I am not born-again because of this; an idea that is false because I instead spend my time here to encourage and teach believers. The purpose of the Church is to not simply bring those who are called out of this world into the body of Christ, but to make sure that they understand what it is that they believe.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

A STUDY IN GENESIS

As strange as it might sound, in Chapters 10 through 11 of Genesis we have events that are recorded in another book of the Bible. Have you ever read the story of Job? For those who believe the Old Testament has nothing to do with the New Testament, I would point them to the book of Job. Even James identifies lessons for his readers in the early church era to draw upon “Behold, we count them happy which endure. You have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.” James 5:11. Why take a moment to talk about the book of Job? Because it happens not only in Genesis, but it also identifies that Gentiles were always part of God’s plan of redemption. Abram was a Gentile before he was Jew. Job was found to be righteous and he was a Gentile. Genesis is filled with Gentiles who are followers of Jesus Christ. Yet, as we hone in on what God hones in on, we need to recognize that while there are Gentile believers, God is about to choose one man to create a specific nation that will be different than the rest. They will be a nation called forth from other nations to be His tool for redemption. The book of Job, provides a foundation for us to understand the heart of God with all of mankind and why we need Abram to come onto the picture in Genesis chapter 12. I would encourage you to read Job and see the rich blessings that God gives us in seeing what He is doing on the individual level with each of us.

If you would like to know more about the book of Job, check out our post CLICK HERE!

Next week we will end chapter 11, identifying the key players being set up for the future saga in human history and God’s rescue plan for you and I.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday

How do you get clean? Find out HERE!

Ecclesiology 101

There is an issue plaguing our society today. This sickness is churches that are not following God’s Word. This is a fact that needs to be addressed. Many Christians today find it hard pressed to find a Church that is keeping to God’s Word in scripture and practice. Because of this reality, we need to understand what is a Church properly in action.

Over the next couple of weeks, we will be going through various verses found in Scripture that identifies the aspects that a church needs to have. This is so that we as Christians can not only help to avoid unbiblical churches, but also to identify if the church that we are going to is following Scripture.

What I need from you, is to take the next week and ask the Lord to share with you through His word the characteristics that make up a proper Church. During this time, I would encourage you to go through the letters of Paul and the letters of Jesus regarding the Churches. This will be an exciting and yet, humbling experience for us all as we dive into the riches of the Bride of Christ.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

GAZA

We will get back to our Genesis study soon. Today I find it hard to find the correct words to convey the message that I truly feel in my heart. However, I am going to try, please give me patience and mercy and know my heart is in the right place. I believe words do not describe what the people of Israel are really going through.

Each week as new hostages are released, I am reminded about the photos in history class of the Holocaust survivors. The media refuses to give it the justice it deserves. Israel was attacked, innocent people held captive for over a year. The spectacle that Hamas and the other terrorist perpetrate is unacceptable. However, God will have the final word.

Amos 1:6-9 “Thus says the LORD: “For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away its [punishment,] Because they took captive the whole captivity To deliver [them] up to Edom. 7 But I will send a fire upon the wall of Gaza, Which shall devour its palaces. 8 I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, And the one who holds the scepter from Ashkelon; I will turn My hand against Ekron, And the remnant of the Philistines shall perish,” Says the Lord GOD. 9 Thus says the LORD: “For three transgressions of Tyre, and for four, I will not turn away its [punishment,] Because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, And did not remember the covenant of brotherhood.”

Israel are still a people but the Philistines are no more. The Palestinians who are mainly Jordanian and Egyptian, are not even from the land. Yet, they too will be taken out of the land.

Zephaniah 2:4-5 “For Gaza shall be forsaken, And Ashkelon desolate; They shall drive out Ashdod at noonday, And Ekron shall be uprooted. 5 Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast, The nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD [is] against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines: “I will destroy you; So there shall be no inhabitant.”

The land is indeed heading towards total destruction. Those who defy God’s people will eventually realize that God does keep His promises to them and to those who fight against the Jewish people. However, what is the final outcome of Gaza? I believe we need to look no further than in Zephaniah 2:6-7 “The seacoast shall be pastures, With shelters for shepherds and folds for flocks. 7 The coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; They shall feed [their] flocks there; In the houses of Ashkelon they shall lie down at evening. For the LORD their God will intervene for them, And return their captives.”

No matter what happens to Gaza in the immediate future, its final outcome will be a place of fields for sheep. It will be a peaceful pasture for the tribe of Judah. For those who do not take God’s Word seriously, let me point out that God has already brought to pass one part of this prophecy! The Philistines are no more, they are gone and replaced by an imposter of people who soon, with all hope and mercy, will be uprooted from the land and sent to their own homes of Jordan and Egypt.

Israel deserves to live in peace, this peace will not come until ultimately Jesus Christ sits on the throne of David in the eternal capital of Jerusalem. However, as Christians and followers of Messiah, we need to recognize the importance and still relevance that the Jewish people have in this human saga unfolding. Without Christ keeping His promises to the Jewish people, what hope do you and I have? The answer is simply none. We can thank the Lord that He is greater than our own understanding and has made it clear that He is working in our lives today in preparation for upcoming events foretold in His scripture. We need only open our eyes, listen with our ears, and see God declare His awesomeness to us.

Nevertheless, each hostage released is heartbreaking. A mixture of relief and anger flood the senses when I see what the Israeli’s are having to deal with. We need to pray for Israel, we need to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Keep your eyes on Jerusalem, and possibly even Gaza, as we see God doing some incredible work in the area.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday

How do you handle it when your faith is challenged? Read it HERE!

The Importance of Gifts XIV

Today we have reached the end of our study on the different types of spiritual gifts. When I began this study, I had only intended to focus on the common gifts that are discussed. However, it became clear to me that the overlooked gifts found in Romans 12 needed to be examined as well. As we have seen throughout this study, the spiritual gifts are often misunderstood or misused. While we are examining the last gift today, it is possibly one of the most important gifts a follower of Christ can ask for. The gift of mercy.

“6 However, since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to use them properly: if prophecy, in proportion to one’s faith; 7 if service, in the act of serving; or the one who teaches, in the act of teaching; 8 or the one who exhorts, in the work of exhortation; the one who gives, with generosity; the one who is in leadership, with diligence; the one who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”

Romans 12:6-8

All throughout scripture we are called to show mercy. “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” Proverbs 28:13. “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.” Luke 6:36. “So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” James 2:12-13. Are just a couple examples. We also know that we would not be reconciled to God if He didn’t show us mercy and send His Son to pay for our sins. Mercy is a very important aspect of who God is and as such it needs to be an important aspect of who we are.

But what exactly is mercy? It means to show compassion. However, Romans 12 describes those who have the gift of mercy to do so cheerfully. This continues with an important aspect that we have seen with the last couple of spiritual gifts, it comes down to the motivation of the individual who claims to have the gift. There are individuals who claim to have the gift of mercy, who say that they have compassion on people, but they either act begrudgingly towards others or hold aspects over their heads. They forget that they have been shown mercy by God and need to do so with a prompt, willing, and kind attitude. We would not be who we are if it wasn’t for God showing us His mercy, and we need to extend this to those around us.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

A Lesson Learned and Shared

I learned a lesson this week that I wanted to share with you all! Thanks for listening.

There are some moments that we need to slow down and recognize that God might be doing something very close to us, but it does not involve us.

This last week was one of those moments that I had to learn that at times God is doing something and we might think we need to act, when in fact we need to be silent and wait. Our time of acting is when God says so. Once we do, we should wait on Him. Examine Rehab in the seige of Jereicho.

Joshua 6:20-25 “When the people heard the sound of the rams’ horns, they shouted as loud as they could. Suddenly, the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it. 21 They completely destroyed everything in it with their swords--men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep, goats, and donkeys. 22 Meanwhile, Joshua said to the two spies, “Keep your promise. Go to the prostitute’s house and bring her out, along with all her family.” 23 The men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father, mother, brothers, and all the other relatives who were with her. They moved her whole family to a safe place near the camp of Israel. 24 Then the Israelites burned the town and everything in it. Only the things made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron were kept for the treasury of the LORD’s house. 25 So Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute and her relatives who were with her in the house, because she had hidden the spies Joshua sent to Jericho. And she lives among the Israelites to this day. Joshua 6:20-25 (NLT) 20 When the people heard the sound of the rams’ horns, they shouted as loud as they could. Suddenly, the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it. 21 They completely destroyed everything in it with their swords--men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep, goats, and donkeys. 22 Meanwhile, Joshua said to the two spies, “Keep your promise. Go to the prostitute’s house and bring her out, along with all her family.” 23 The men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father, mother, brothers, and all the other relatives who were with her. They moved her whole family to a safe place near the camp of Israel. 24 Then the Israelites burned the town and everything in it. Only the things made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron were kept for the treasury of the LORD’s house. 25 So Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute and her relatives who were with her in the house, because she had hidden the spies Joshua sent to Jericho. And she lives among the Israelites to this day.” Rehab had already done her part, now she needed to stop and wait on the Lord.

Another example is with Daniel, who does nothing to stop the transition of government from Babylon to Persia. Daniel 5:17 “Daniel answered the king, “Keep your gifts or give them to someone else, but I will tell you what the writing means.” Daniel had been acting on what the Lord had wanted him to do for a while. But Daniel knew when it was God’s turn to act and Daniel needed to wait on Him.

You see, both Rehab and Daniel were where the Lord wanted them to be. And both needed to allow the Lord to do the work that He said He would do. Do you have an area in your life that God has asked you to do something and you did? Is it now His turn to act and we should be still and allow Him to act? Take time and pray and ask the Lord to reveal if there is something in your life that you need to allow Him to act on now. You might just realize, He needs you to go into your house so He can bring the walls down, or stay silent in your office while the transition of power happens.

This week I learned this lesson in my own life. And because of this I wanted to share it with you all. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to open up! God is always teaching us; we need to stop, listen, and obey. Only a Heavenly Father who is Love can be so kind and patient to help you and I in our immediate moments and yet still be examining the BIG PICTURE around us.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday

Understanding the basics of Isaiah. Read it HERE!

The Importance of Gifts XIII

We have reached our second to last spiritual gift and unlike some of the gifts that we have looked at up to this point, it is not a gift that is overlooked. Instead, it is a gift that often is not taken seriously enough. The gift that we are discussing today is the gift of leading.

The idea of leading is to stand before others and guide them. Many people may pray that they have this gift, but they need to ensure that they are using it correctly. As we have discussed throughout this series, the spiritual gifts are designed to give glory to God and not ourselves. There are some who would seek to have this gift because they desire to have the spotlight, they are similar to those described in Matthew 23:1-7.

“23 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, 2 saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses. 3 Therefore, whatever they tell you, do and comply with it all, but do not do as they do; for they say things and do not do them.4 And they tie up heavy burdens and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as their finger. 5 And they do all their deeds to be noticed by other people; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments. 6 And they love the place of honor at banquets, and the seats of honor in the synagogues, 7 and personal greetings in the marketplaces, and being called Rabbi by the people.”

This is not using the gift of leading correctly because it seeks to bring glory to the individual rather than keeping the focus and glory on God. It is unfortunate, but there are many pastors and leaders out there today who would fit this description. For an individual to possess the gift of leading, they would diligently seek to guide others to Christ. They would come alongside those who are struggling and show them that it is Christ who can lift their burdens. Ultimately, they would adapt the attitude of Christ in Matthew 20:28. “28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”. As with the gift of giving that we discussed last week, we need to examine the individuals motives who claim to have the gift of leading. Are the doing it to bring glory to themselves? Or are they continually coming alongside others and pointing them to Christ?

Seek the truth and encourage one another

Alex

A STUDY IN GENESIS

As promised, we are discussing the significance behind God’s reaction to what mankind was doing in Genesis 11. When we last met, we talked about the Tower of Babel being exactly what the people were trying to do, “reach heaven.” Some will scoff, but God didn’t and He acted. Thus, we now are going to examine what God does. Genesis 11:5-9 “But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. 6 And the LORD said, “Indeed the people [are] one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. 7 “Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. 9 Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.”

We see several glaring facts that must be acknowledged. First, that God is watching mankind and their actions. Second, that God is acting in the affairs of man. And finally, that mankind can do nothing to stop what God is acting upon.

For the believer in the world, this should be very comforting. However, for the non believer this is terrifying.

We do not know how, but God initiates something within the human psychic that transfigures the language understanding and computing within mankind. This is paramount to understand. God establishes national roots right here. Nations and ethnic groups are brought about. The Tower of Babel event at its roots signifies the foundational push that mankind wants globalism, and yet God does not. This does not mean one nation is better than another, but in fact God is the creator of them all. We as believers need to recognize this. Only God is able to withdraw a person outside of this scenario.

Galatians 3:26-29 “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you [are] Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” While the Church is pulled from every nation, we still do not lose our national origins that God placed in Genesis 11.  Revelation 5:9-10 “And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”

Throughout human history, God has used nations to judge other nations. Genesis 11 is God changing the rules within human history and designing a check and balance that will trescend human history until the events of Armageddon. So next time you wonder where do nations and languages come from, remember they come from God.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday

After studying the different types of prayers, who should be prayed for most? Find out HERE!

The Importance of Gifts XII

We are reaching the end of our series on the spiritual gifts, in fact we only have three more gifts to discuss. As we have seen recently, there are quite a few gifts that are overlooked by the body of Christ and the last three that we are discussing are no different. However, the gift that we are discussing today is one that not only gets overlooked but almost seems to be vilified.

“6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”

Romans 12:6-8

The gift that we are discussing is the gift of giving. You may be wondering why I say that this gift is often vilified, and that is because of the connotation that to have “excessive” amounts of money is often seen by others as loving money over God. Oftentimes they will misuse Matthew 6:24, “24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” But what they are often forgetting is that it is the motive behind the gift of giving that is important. You can be an individual with a limited budget who still devotes a portion to freely give to God like the woman found in Mark 12:43-44 who gave all that she had to God, or you can be an individual with unlimited funds who still freely gives to the Lord. The important thing about the gift of giving is that it is done to glorify God, not ourselves otherwise it is not a gift of the spirit.

I have a family member who wished to serve on the mission field, despite how often he tried to become a missionary he was always told no. So he made the decision that he was going to out give God, the more money he gave to missionaries the more God blessed him. God was not calling him to be a missionary, but instead was calling him to support those that He was calling to the mission field. There are countless individuals who have heard of Christ thanks to his gift of giving. A biblical example of someone who was very wealthy but kept Christ as their master was Job. Job was a man who sought the Lord with all of his heart, and the wealth and finances were something trivial to his pursuit of God.

Earlier I stated that those who misuse Matthew 6:24 are forgetting a very important part of the verse. Mankind cannot serve two masters. If an individual is continually seeking to grow their wealth, their master is money. However, if an individual has been blessed with wealth but seeks to give it all to God, then they are serving Him. It comes down to the motive and if they wish to glorify themselves or God.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

New Administration, Same God, Same Orders

Today we see the transition of power in the United States of America. This post is not to be political, but God’s Word is at times very political. Today we see what Daniel declared when he prayed for God’s answer to King Nebuchadnezzar’s demand.

Daniel 2:20-23 “Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His. 21 And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding. 22 He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what [is] in the darkness, And light dwells with Him. 23 “I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, And have now made known to me what we asked of You, For You have made known to us the king’s demand.”

As Christians, this is how we should be treating today. Recognize who is truly in control and bless Him. Recognize the times we live in and the seasons we are called to live out our faith. Recognize God removes Kings and raises up Kings. Recognize and ask for Wisdom, which God gives. Understand that His will is higher than our will and know that God is moving in our lives. Look at the last verse of Daniel’s prayer.

Daniel 2:23, “I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, And have now made known to me what we asked of You, For You have made known to us the king’s demand.” Daniel recognizes that God is in control and no matter what happens, He is clearly listening to the petitions of His people and is actively in our lives no matter how great or small. As we move into a new administration and the world examines the actions of a few leaders, let us remember that it is God who places them in. It is up to us to keep our eyes on Christ, live out our faith, and be about His work. God has given the United States a small window of time to be about His work in a different environment than the last four years. We should not squander it. God has given us each talents to serve the Kingdom and encourage the Church. Let us be about our Lord’s Word.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday

What is our biggest mission field? Find out HERE!

The Importance of Gifts XI

As we have now come to see, there are many different spiritual gifts. While each spiritual gift is given to the born again believer by the Holy Spirit to be used to glorify God, we have seen that there are some that go hand in hand. For example, earlier in our series we saw that the gifts of healing, miracles, and faith all work together. Without the faith that God can, in His will not ours, provide healing and miracles these gifts would not be able to be performed. Today, we will discuss two other gifts that work together. The gifts of teaching and exhortation.

When you hear the word, “teach” or “teaching” I am sure you envision an individual standing in the front of a room seeking to impart knowledge on others, and this would be exactly right. However, what most believers fail to understand today is that this is not a gift solely given to those who are called to be pastors. This is a gift that needs to be utilized more often by the body of Christ, it is a gift for those who are able to accurately impart the Word of God to others. For example, small group leaders. However, the gift of teaching does not end here. If you are a parent, you need to be praying for the gift of teaching. Our children’s first look into who God is, is through us. If we are unable to accurately teach them about God, we are failing. We cannot rely on Sunday and Wednesday to be the only time our children hear about Jesus Christ, it is something that we need to be teaching them daily.

The second gift that we are discussing today is the gift of exhortation. Exhortation is to exhort and build others up to keep their focus on the Lord. A believer who is practicing exhortation could be seen as someone who is actively using their faith to encourage others in theirs. As a teacher brings a person knowledge, an exhorter encourages the person to the knowledge. The gift of exhortation helps identify true believers. Exhortation is contrary to those who claim with their lips but deny Christ with their actions.

When we are in the presence of a spirit filled Christian who has the gift of teaching, they will naturally be a teacher that is Christ centered teaching other Christians. For a spirit filled believer who has the gift of exhortation we will see them encouraging other believers to stay the course. These two gifts go hand in hand. If we are not taught, we can’t put it into action. If we do not teach, then others will fail to grow. If we do not act, we become spiritually obese and the gospel does not spread. For two gifts that are often overlooked, they provide perhaps the biggest impact in the life of a Christian, which is why we need to be praying for chances to teach others about God’s word, to build up others in their faith, and to put what we have learned into action.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

A STUDY IN GENESIS

As promised at the beginning of this series, Genesis is a book of answers. However, at times, those answers can be controversial. Today we are examining one of those. Genesis chapter 11, the Tower of Babel.

As always, God’s Word needs to be taken seriously. That means we can assume it is accurate and that our understanding is what needs to be sharpened and re-examined to make sure it aligns with God’s Word. Chapter 11 is no different, we must take the same approach.

If you ever watch the United Nations summits, you will see that virtually everyone is talking about peace, unity, and some form of togetherness. This call to action is quickly followed by the carrot of global peace. However, the second they walk out of the room, they are at odds with one another. Nevertheless, this brings about a unique question.

What would the world look like if mankind was united?

We need not wonder, but look at God’s Word for a moment in human history and see that exact moment being played out. Let us examine what God commanded Noah and his descendants to do.

Genesis 9:1 “So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.” God told them to fill the earth. Did Noah’s descendants listen? No they did not.

Genesis 11:1-4 “Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. 2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. 3 Then they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake [them] thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. 4 And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top [is] in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”

Now some will read this and immediately say, “Look at these idiots, they believe they could make a tower to get to heaven.” However, this would be an inaccurate statement. How do we know this? Look at the very next two verses. Genesis 11:5-6 “But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. 6 And the LORD said, “Indeed the people [are] one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.”

God is confirming that their idea will work! “Now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.” In other words, “Together they will accomplish their goal.” So what is it exactly what they were trying to do?

We know that the leader of this group is, Nimrod. Nimrod was a mighty hunter before the Lord. Genesis 10:8-12 “Cush begot Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one on the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.” 10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. 11 From that land he went to Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah, 12 and Resen between Nineveh and Calah (that [is] the principal city).”

This we will need to break down and examine. At this point, we know at that mankind is one group. Nimrod is leading them. The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, which is where we get the towers name.

Now this is where the English does not do us justice. We might think that Nimrod is a great archery hunter or something. But that is not the meaning here. The Septuagint and the NASB I believe get the closest to the original meaning. Let’s first start with the Septuagint. If you do not know who the Septuagint are, I would encourage you to examine the rich history of Godly men preserving God’s Word for the masses.

Genesis 10:8 “Now Chous became the father of Nebrod. He was the first on earth to be a giant. He was a giant hunter before the Lord God. Therefore they will say, ‘Like Nebrod a giant hunter before the Lord.”

Now the NASB.

Genesis 10:8-9 “Now Cush became the father of Nimrod; he became a mighty one on the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the LORD.”

Both give us insight into the reality of what what exactly God’s Word is identifying. Nimrod, who was in charge of the first united nation, is in fact pursuing something God just destroyed. The Lord is watching him do it, because Nimrod is hunting before the Lord. Now some might be saying, how is this possible? Or is this taking the text a little too far? Not many Pastors, Bible scholars, and theologians take this stand. And that is ok, because we are taking God’s Word seriously and in doing so, we follow where the text leads us. Examine just a few chapters before this, in chapter 6.

Genesis 6:4 “There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore [children] to them. Those [were] the mighty men who [were] of old, men of renown.” I am here today to tell you, that the very first dictator, started off human and was mutated into something that God destroyed in the flood.

Genesis 10:8 “Cush begot Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one on the earth.” The word “began” is the Hebrew word “Halal” which means to profane, defile, pollute, desecrate, and begin. This profanity is done through sexual rituals. I do not know how, but somehow, Nimrod sought after how to make himself into Nephilim. This should scare you! His first act is becoming Nephilim, his second is to make humankind build something to reach heaven to thwart God from scattering them. What does this mean for us today? Does it mean globalism is bad? Does it mean we shouldn’t strive for peace with our national neighbors? Certainly not! But it means that peace truly only comes from Christ. It means that if the world is united under a leader other than Christ, maybe he shouldn’t t be trusted. I am reminded about Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.” Satan has his own seed. This verse identifies two bloodlines! The first is Satan’s seed, but the final seed is Jesus Christ.

While we might not know the technology behind the Tower of Babel, we would be foolish to believe it was primitive. I believe based on scripture that Genesis 11 events and the construction work happening was based on gene manipulation and quantum physics. That tower was not by length going to make it into Heaven but was going to make it there. This is thought to be impossible until modern known science reveals it is not outside of the impossible. This might sound arbitrary or even absurd, but allow me to explain. If God thought it was silly and their attempts were not going anywhere, why did He find it necessary to act? He had to do something or they were going to succeed! Next week we will dive into the discussion God has and exactly what He does to mankind.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday

What does the Father have in store for us? Find out HERE!

The Importance of Gifts X

A couple of weeks ago we began our second discussion into the spiritual gifts that are given to born-again believers focusing on the list found in Romans 12:6-13.

"6 However, since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to use them properly: if prophecy, in proportion to ones faith; 7 if service, in the act of serving; or the one who teaches, in the act of teaching; 8 or the one who exhorts, in the work of exhortation; the one who gives, with generosity; the one who is in leadership, with diligence; the one who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. 9 Love must be free of hypocrisy. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor, 11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality."

We began our discussion with a review of the gift of prophecy and how to identify if it is being used correctly. Today, we will be moving on to the gift of service. The idea of service is in a role of support or helping those who need it and this is a gift that can be used inside or outside of the church. For example, I know of a missionary who is not exactly on the "frontlines" their family is not out day by day preaching the gospel as many believe missionaries do. However, their family instead opens up their doors to other missionaries to provide them rest from the challenges that they face. Their home provides the missionaries a place of respite, this family is supporting others who have been called to preach the gospel. While not something that many would think of, this is a much needed act of service that allows the spread of the gospel.

A Biblical example of this gift is found in Acts 6:2-5.

"2 So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. 3 Instead, brothers and sisters, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word." 5 The announcement found approval with the whole congregation; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch."

While the gift of service may not be one of the "flashy" gifts that we commonly think of, it is very much an important and needed spiritual gift. So while this gift might be one that is overlooked, ask yourself if there is an area in your church or in your community that you can serve in order to spread the gospel.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex