Elijah Prophet of God

Elijah Prophet of God

It would become one of the most spellbinding historical accounts of the power of God. This showdown was bigger than any NFL Super Bowl or the Summer Olympics. This was an event that would be verbally passed on for hundreds of generations to come. A single man had come to stand up against some of the abominations that were occurring, and hundreds were present to watch. The teams were grossly uneven, yet a man named Elijah was not afraid. He exclaimed to the crowd gathered there: “I alone am left a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men” (1 Kings 18:22). Elijah was ready and willing to serve on the front-line.

The Bible does not give much indication of the outward appearance of this courageous man. The only indication comes after King Ahaziah heard from his messengers, the King inquired: “What kind of man was it who came up to meet you and told you these words?” They answered him, “A hairy man wearing a leather belt around his waist.” And he said, “It is Elijah, the Tishbite” (2 Kings 1:7-8 emp. added). Yet we know that God does not look on the outward appearance. It was Elijah’s courage and righteousness that separated him from the mainstream people of his day. A cursory glance around his society would quickly reveal devotion to false gods (Baal), ritual prostitution, and child-sacrifice. Elijah refused to give in to the religious tolerance of his day, and he was determined to do something about it. Thus, we find him taking center stage at a showdown on Mt. Carmel.

His decision to stand for truth and righteousness had earned him the nickname “troubler of Israel.” Like many individuals before him and many individuals who would follow, Elijah was ridiculed for pointing out that the societal norms were sinful. In 1 Kings 18:16-19 we learn:

So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah. Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?” And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and have followed the Baals. Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table” (emp. added).

Not wanting to be marked as a “troubler of Israel,” many today remain silent and watch as the world continues to imbibe on a diet of ungodliness. The very next verse tells us: “So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel” (1 Kings 18:20).

The location of Mt. Carmel was one of panoramic beauty. A mountain that rises over 1600 feet in elevation, it is located majestically beside the Mediterranean Sea. But we can safely assume this grandiose setting was no home-field advantage for Elijah, for we learn he “repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down” (1 Kings 18:30). This was a place that had long forgotten the importance of worshipping the One True Living God. Additionally, at this showdown Elijah did not jump up and demand a coin-toss so that he could go first. Instead, he encouraged those who were doing wrong to step up to the plate and demonstrate the power of their beliefs. Elijah asked the prophets of Baal to prepare their bull first and validate the power of their false god.

The outcome of this showdown was nothing less than phenomenal. After watching the prophets of Baal beg, pled, and later cut themselves so that Baal might hear and light their altar, Elijah mocked them, ridiculing their efforts. He even suggested that maybe Baal was “meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened” (1 Kings 18:27). Then Elijah took center stage and lay bare of the power of the Jehovah God. He built a trench around the altar and requested water be placed all around the trench, sending them back even a third time for additional water. The stage for the final showdown was set. This soldier for God had come to fight.

Rather than doing some amazing feat or ritual dance, Elijah then turned to God in prayer. He prayed: “Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again” (1 Kings 18:36-37). Elijah’s prayer was immediately answered in a powerful fashion. Fire from God reigned down and “consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench” (v. 38).

Before we finish the account regarding this man who was proud to serve on the front-line, I want to consider a radically different ending to this showdown. If the showdown at Mt. Carmel were presented on a modern-day DVD, we could theoretically press “Disc Menu” on our remote and select “alternative endings.” Think about where you would be today if the Bible contained the following alternative endings:

  • On the day he was to go to Mt. Carmel for the showdown, Elijah became nervous and scared, and he decided that maybe those religious abominations were not really that bad. After all, he realized he could live a lot easier life if he simply found a home and faded away from the spotlight. With the pressure and stress of the upcoming showdown mounting, Elijah decided to forego the entire spectacle. And so, on that life-changing day, Elijah was a no-show. (Years later we find Elijah further compromising and joining the prophets in their worship to Baal.)
  • On the day he was to go to Mt. Carmel, Elijah realized he had some important business at work that needed to be finished, so he decided to put off the showdown. After all, he was busy now and he could demonstrate his religious zeal at a time that was more convenient for his career. Surely, God did not expect him to take time from work or lose some prospective business. And so, on that life-changing day, Elijah was a no-show.

But Elijah is not the only religious person who has been on the front-line. Consider some additional alternative ending from other biblical accounts:

  • Noah, a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5) got fed up with preaching the Truth and not converting anyone outside of his family, so he abandoned the Truth in favor of a more “appealing” message to those around him. He began preaching cotton-candy sermons that tickled the ears of his neighbors. Having been ridiculed for decades for wasting his time building the ark, Noah decided to stop construction and began to devote his time to “programs” that would entertain the masses. His new attitude and his new message helped convert thousands. Then it started to rain. The animals came together to be placed on an ark, only to find it uncompleted. And so, on that life-changing day, Noah was a no-show.
  • Peter, a fisherman had the distinct honor of preaching the first Gospel sermon in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. His named was forever etched in history. So why did it fall to his lot to teach a Gentile? You can’t be serious! After all, it had taken him a great deal of time to get over grief and embarrassment of denying Jesus. He was still being singled out for that moment of weakness. And now he was supposed to introduce salvation to this dirty bunch of Gentiles? Surely God didn’t want the first gospel preacher to lower himself and spend time with a man named Cornelius. Peter, realizing the intense scrutiny and embarrassment this single event might bring upon him, decided to postpone setting up a study with Cornelius, and instead focused his efforts in a more comfortable works of the church. And Cornelius died, having not been baptized. And so, on that life-changing day Peter was a no show.
  • Mary knew Jesus was supposed to “grow and become strong in spirit, filled with wisdom” (Luke 2:40), but she was tired. She’d been working all day, and she really didn’t have the energy to fill His mind with wisdom from the Scriptures. After all,
    Jesus would probably get enough Bible teaching from the priests in the Temple. So like she did most days, she sent him out to play games with the neighborhood kids. She even justified her actions because on a recent trip to Jerusalem, Jesus had stayed at the Temple when they went for the Feast (Luke 2:42). I mean really, how weird is it to have a child that interested in the ancient Scriptures? That’s not “normal.” Obviously, Jesus needed to get out and experience some of the joys of life. What would a life filled with games and entertainment hurt? Besides, with Jesus out of her hair she could enjoy some of her own hobbies. So for the next decade Jesus was able to grow up unencumbered by home Bible study or devotionals. He was free to play. And then Jesus “was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil” (Matthew 4:1). Having not prepared his mind to combat the devil with Scripture, Jesus fell back on what He knew—entertainment, games, and fun. Years earlier, on the life-changing days when Jesus should have been growing in wisdom, Mary was a no-show.
  • Esther had it made. She was the new queen (Esther 2:8-22). She was living a comfortable life until her cousin Mordecai asked her to approach King Ahasuerus on behalf of the Jews. Who was Mordecai to ask her to do something like this? She was busy. She had so much going on in her life at that moment. After all, she was just a woman, and she was comfortable on her throne (pew). Esther knew going in front of the King could result in her losing her life! Why make any ripples or endure a confrontation when things were so peaceful? So she decided rather than stepping out on the front-line that she would continue her busy weekly routine and “hope” things got better. As a result, Haman’s evil decree was enforced, and many Jewish families met their demise. And so, on that life-changing day, Esther was a no-show.

This is just a small sample of “alternative endings.” Thankfully, the people we read about in God’s Word were not satisfied with simply sitting in the pew or doing the minimum. They knew they needed to serve God on the front-line. Who can forget the life-changing moment when Mordecai reminded Esther: “Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14, emp. added).

How many times have zealous new Christians looked around auditoriums to find apathetic Christians who are satisfied with giving God 1-2 hours per week, only to then walk back out into the world? Where does the zeal of these new Christians come from? Could it be these individuals have a fresh reminder of what God really did for them, and now they are willing to “spend and be spent” in service to God? They look around and see the sin that we overlook each day, and they want to do something about it. Many newly baptized Christians become surprised and discouraged by New Testament Christians who are willing to tolerate (and maybe even embrace) secular abominations. If you were to hold a mirror to your life (and actions), would that mirror reveal a life that is tolerant or one that is ready to defend the tenets of God? Are you zealous or comfortable sitting in the pew? If we are going to make positive changes in our nation, we must rekindle our zeal and remind ourselves what God has done for us. It’s only when we fully understand the complete picture of His beautiful plan for salvation that we realize being a Christian is more than “clocking in” on Sunday morning.

So what happened to Elijah? He won the showdown on Mt. Carmel. Ironically, however, after Elijah went through his Mt. Carmel experience, he ran off scared and became depressed. He had probably hoped for an immediate change, and was unable to see God’s full plan for him. In 1 Kings 19:9-10 we read: “And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ So he said, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.’”

How many times have we felt alone in a world drunken with sin? However, God reminded Elijah that he was far from alone. After telling Elijah to get up and go to the Wilderness of Damascus, God stated: “Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him” (1 Kings 19:18). God wanted Elijah to know that he was not alone on the front-line. And neither are we. Elijah’s ultimate fate is revealed in 2 Kings 2:11 where we learn “as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.” His ending resulted in him being taken directly by God, having not tasted death. What will be your ultimate ending? Are you ready to serve on the front line or are you content with alternative endings? Too many Christians view their Christian voyage as if from the deck of a luxury cruise ship. They want to remain comfortable. And yet, the Lord has called faithful Christians to serve on battle ships. Only then can we know we are prepared for that life-changing day, for “who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

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Trying to Find Paul

Forget About Waldo, Where’s Paul?

Forget Waldo, Where is Paul?

Forget Waldo, Where is Paul?

The Bible is consistent and inspired. However, many try to find “mistakes” or “contradictions” in the holy text. One area where this is the case, is that of Paul’s whereabouts following his conversion. Important areas of text which cover this time frame are: Acts 9:17-30, Acts 11:19-30, Acts 15:1-4, Acts 22:16-21, Gal. 1:15-21, and Gal. 2:1.

The items to be examined for contradiction/clarification are:

  1. Does the Bible contradict itself regarding where Paul went immediately following His conversion?
  2. Does the Bible contradict itself regarding how long Paul was away from Jerusalem?

Question One: Where did Paul go immediately following His conversion?

Acts 9:18 – Paul was baptized.

Acts 9:19 – states for several days he was in Damascus.

Acts 9:20 – uses the word “Straightway” (immediately) he preached Jesus.

Acts 9:22 – Paul was proving Jesus as Christ (From Scriptures?)

Acts 9:23 – the Jews were plotting to do away with Paul.

Acts 9:24 – Paul learns of Plot

Acts 9:25 – Paul either shared this knowledge with disciples or they found out as well.

The next passage in this text, Acts:26, discusses “when” Paul had come to Jerusalem. The assumption by many readers is that Paul immediately went to Jerusalem from Damascus.

Let’s now view text in Galatians concerning this matter.

Gal. 1:15-16 – Paul is converted and does not consult with men (learn their understanding of the gospel).

Gal. 1:17- Paul did not go up to Jerusalem but to Arabia, then returned to Damascus.

Gal. 1:18 – this states it was three years before Paul went to Jerusalem to get to know Peter.

Gal. 1:21 – Paul went to Syria/Cilicia which is the area of Tarsus.

The cries of “Biblical Contradiction” come at this point. For was it not Acts 9:26 that said Paul went to Jerusalem following his conversion? Well, no. Actually, the passage said “when”. That “when” could have been at any time. According to Gal. 1:18 states that “when” was three years following Paul’s return to Damascus.

Let’s look at more text confirming Gal. 1.

Acts 22:17 – talks about “when” Paul returned to Jerusalem (Thus his return would be the first time).

Acts 22:18 – Paul is told in a vision by Jesus that he is to leave Jerusalem.

Acts 22:21 – Paul is sent to the gentiles (Tarsus/Cilicia)

Acts 9:26 – This is the same time as Acts 22:17 and Gal. 1:18. The disciples were afraid of Paul.

Acts 9:30 – Paul is sent to Tarsus (Syria/Cilicia)

Acts 11:25 – Barnabus goes up to Tarsus (Syria/Cilicia) and takes Paul to Antioch.

Following this, we have very clear Biblical reference as to where Paul Goes.

Thus, No Contradiction exists. We have two confirmations of Gal. 1 from Acts 22 and Acts 9 about where Paul goes following His conversion. He teaches in Damascus and then goes to Arabia. We know as soon as he visits Jerusalem that he ends up in Tarsus. We have clear documentation about his travels following that. From Acts 11, he goes to Antioch, then a contribution to Jerusalem and back to Antioch. Finally, he goes on his first missionary Journey. Thus, he could not have went to Tarsus before he went to Arabia for three years. That would definitely be a contradiction of scripture.

Side Question: When did Paul receive the Holy Spirit?

Acts 9:17 – Ananias said he was sent to enable Paul’s sight and Paul’s filling with the Holy Spirit.

Gal. 1:12 – Paul received the Gospel from Christ directly.

These are the only verses we have in regard to this topic. These do not specify at what moment Paul received the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit.  My opinion, is it is likely Paul did receive gifts shortly after baptism. We know he immediately started to preach Christ – Acts 9:20. However, we do not see his first recorded miracle until Acts 13:11.

Question 2: Does the Bible contradict itself regarding how long Paul was away from Jerusalem?

Gal. 1:17-18 – Following trip to Arabia and a return to Damascus for three years, Paul goes to Jerusalem.

Gal. 1:21 – “Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia”

Gal. 2:1 – “Then after an interval of 14 years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabus.”

The focus of the passage of text in Galatians from Gal. 1:11- 2:21 is that Paul did not consult any supposed leaders of the Gospel to determine what he should teach. He lists time frames in which he sought out or met the apostles as examples of his independence (yet unity) in the Gospel. Noting in those time frames he was not looking for knowledge about the Gospel. In Gal. 2:1, the text does not say he stayed away from Jerusalem for 14 years. It merely mentions another time in which he went to Jerusalem seeking the apostles.

Let’s look at a bit more text:

Acts 9:26 – Paul came to Jerusalem (three years after return to Damascus)

Acts 9:27 – Barnabus takes him to the apostles.

Side Question: What apostles?

Gal. 1:19 – Paul meets “Apostles” Peter and James the Lord’s brother.

Contradiction? Many know that James the Lord’s brother was not one of the 12. Why would they call him an apostle? There is great discussion regarding this passage. However, rather than dwell on it, there were others in the Bible referred to as apostles at times: Barnabus being one of them. The word apostle means messenger or one set forth with orders. Also it is used in reference to eminent Christian teachers. Thus, while in reference to the twelve in the Bible, it was not exclusive to them.

Now let us continue with our second question:

Acts 9:30 – Paul is sent away to Tarsus.

Note: This is in the region of Syria and Cilicia. Exactly where our Gal. 1:21 text said he went after Jerusalem.

Acts 11:25 – Barnabus is sent to Tarsus to look for Paul (having already been acquainted with him).

Acts 11:26 – Barnabus brings Paul to Antioch.

Acts 11:30 – Barnabus and Paul go to Judea (of which Jerusalem is a part)

Acts 12:25 – Barnabus and Paul return from Jerusalem

Acts 13:2 – Barnabus and Paul are sent on the first missionary journey by the Holy Spirit.

Acts 14:26-27 – Paul and Barnabus return to Antioch.

Acts 15:1-4 – Paul and Barnabus are sent to Jerusalem to discuss the issue of circumcision.

An examination of the council at Jerusalem in Acts 15 and the text of Gal. 2:1-10, show this is the same instance. This was the 14 year time span since Paul’s conversion. From the above text, we see that the reference could not be a 14 year absence from Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabus had been there years earlier. Rather, the time of 14 years was simply a notable visit in which Paul approached the apostles there. Thus, No Contradiction exists.

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The Bondage of Israel

The Bondage of Israel

Did the Israelites live under the bondage of the Egyptians for 430 years? This question arises due to the alleged contradiction between Exodus 12:40; Genesis 15:13-14; Acts 7:6-7; and Galatians 3:17. The two general views that are held are that 1) the Israelites were in bondage 430 years, and 2) the Israelites were in bondage 215 years. If we can prove that the Israelites were not in bondage 430 years, then we may reasonably conclude they were in bondage for 215 years.

How long was Israel in Bondage?

How long was Israel in Bondage?

It is the contention of this writer that the Israelites were not in bondage for 430 years. In this paper, evidence will be presented that the physical relationship of Moses to Levi prevents this from being the case. That Moses is the grandson (i.e. second generation from) of Levi may be established by the following scriptures: Exodus 2:1; Exodus 6:16-20; and Numbers 26:59. These scriptures say that Jochebed was the daughter (i.e. direct descendent) of Levi. Jochebed was also the mother of Moses. The combined ages of Levi and Moses while the Israelites were in Egypt are shown to be irreconcilable with the Israelites’ being in Egypt for 430 years.

Levi was the third born of Jacob (Genesis 29:34). Given that he was born as close as possible to the first child, Reuben, he would have been born in the second year, third month, after Jacob was married to Leah. Now Jacob served Laban for twenty years (Genesis 31:41); so, at the most, Joseph would have been born within the twentieth year, because he was born while Jacob served Laban. This puts Joseph and Levi about eleven years apart, a reasonable number between the second born child and next to last born child.

In Genesis 41:46, the Bible says that Joseph was thirty years old when he came before Pharaoh. So, Levi was about 41 years old at the time of Joseph’s ascent. After this came the seven years of plenty and the seven years of famine (14 years). The Bible says that the sons of Israel went down into Egypt in the second year of famine (Genesis 45:5). This would put Levi’s age at fifty (that is, forty-one plus seven years of plenty plus two years of famine). Levi lived for 137 years (Exodus 6:16) and presumably died there. One hundred thirty-seven minus fifty equals eighty-seven. So, Levi was in Egypt for eighty-seven years.

The children of Israel were in Egypt for the first part of Moses’ life, when he was being trained to lead them out of Egypt. This first part of his life was eighty years. Forty years he spent in Egypt and forty years he spent in the wilderness tending sheep for Jethro.

If Levi lived in Egypt for eighty-seven years, and the people of Israel lived in Egypt for the eighty years that Moses was alive, then in order for the children of Israel to be living in Egypt for 430 years, Moses’ mother (who was also Levi’s daughter) had to give birth to Moses at the age of 263 years, an absurdity. People did not live to be that old during that time, and Sarah attests to the fact that women could not have children at that age (Genesis 18:11). Given the relationships of Levi to Jochebed and Jochebed to Moses, 430 years is irreconcilable without adding additional generations somewhere in between. Were there additional generations?

If there were additional generations, then either Levi was not the direct sire of Jochebed or Jochebed was not the biological mother of Moses. The former relationship seems the most likely for consideration of missing generations as the relationship between Moses and Jochebed as mother and son seems to be firmly established (see Exodus 6:20 and Numbers 26:59). So, was Jochebed (Moses’ mother) the actual daughter of Levi, that is, did Levi sire Jochebed? Some suggest that she could have been his granddaughter or great granddaughter? However, this conflicts with the biblical evidence concerning the relationship of Jochebed to Levi. A consideration of this evidence is now in order.

First, Exodus 2:1 reads, “And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi.” If Jochebed was Levi’s granddaughter or great granddaughter, then why is the distinction made between the man who was of the house of Levi and the wife who was a daughter of Levi? Why doesn’t the text read, “…and took to wife a woman of the house of Levi”? One answer is the text does not read that way is because Jochebed was the actual daughter of Levi.

Second, this is further established in Exodus 6:16-20. In this passage, the sons of Levi are listed “according to their generations.” This means, specifically, that there are no gaps between the generations. So Kohath, who is listed in verse sixteen as the son of Levi, was the son of Levi and his wife. Now in Exodus 6:20, the text says that Amram took Jochebed, his father’s sister, to wife. Who was Amram’s father? It was Kohath. Jochebed was Kohath’s sister, and this would make her Levi’s daughter.

Third, Numbers 26:59 explicitly says that Jochebed was Levi’s daughter by birth: “And the name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt: and she bare unto Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister” (ASV). These three passages overwhelmingly establish that Jochebed was the daughter of Levi, as we would use the term daughter today. This last piece of evidence seals the case as to the relationship of Jochebed to Levi and presents irreconcilable evidence to the 430 year view.

So, since the Israelites were not in Egypt for 430 years, then what is to be said about all the passages that seem to say that they were in Egypt for 430 years? These passages are Genesis 15:13-14; Acts 7:6-7; and Exodus 12:40. Acts 7:6-7 is an exact quote from Genesis 15. So these two passages will be dealt with together.

In Genesis 15:13-14 this statement is made: “And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be sojourners in a land that is not theirs, and they shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; and also that nation, whom they shall serve will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.”

Noting that punctuation was foreign to the biblical manuscripts, it is the translators task to supply sensible punctuation. So, if the translators understood that the children of Israel were in Egypt for 400 years, then they would insert punctuation to support that claim. However, if that claim is irreconcilable with the Biblical chronology, the punctuation must change. Genesis 15:13-14 should be punctuated as follows: “…and they shall serve them; and they shall afflict them. Four hundred years, and also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge….” Moreover, to be consistent with this punctuation, verse 14 should begin with the words “Four hundred.” This harmonizes with the Biblical chronology. The descendants of Abram will go down into Egypt. They will become servants, be afflicted, and 400 years from the time that God gave the promise to Abram, God will judge the afflicters. Acts 7 may be handled similarly.

What about the problem in Exodus 12:40? The KJV reads here, “Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years….” Grammatically, the “430 years” is a predicate adjective describing the subject, “the sojourning of the people of Israel.” That sojourning may include the wanderings of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jacob’s sons by the figure of metonymy. The “who dwelt in Egypt” is an appositive expression that modifies the substantive “the children of Israel.” The appositive expression itself does not tell us the length of time that the people of Israel lived in Egypt. It simply tells us this: the children of Israel, at some time, and for some time, dwelt in Egypt. Again, it does not tell us how long they dwelt in Egypt. It simply says that they dwelt in Egypt. This is what the text says. There is no way that anyone could prove that the 430 years tells how long the children of Israel were in Egypt. So, are there any contradictions? The answer is no.

Just how long, then were the Israelites in Egypt? They were in Egypt about 215 years. In Galatians we read that from the promise to the law was 430 years. Since Abraham was about 75 when he received the promise from God (Genesis 12:4) and Isaac was born when Abraham was 100 (Genesis 21:5), twenty-five years had gone by since the promise. Isaac was sixty when Jacob was born (Genesis 25:26), so this adds another sixty years to the twenty-five years that we already have. This makes a total of eighty-five years since the promise. Joseph was born when Jacob was ninety-one, and Levi was, at most, eleven years older than Joseph; so Levi was born when Jacob was eighty (as shown above). This adds eighty years to our already eighty-five, giving us a total of 165. Since Levi was fifty when he went down into Egypt (as shown above), this give us a total of 215 years from the promise to the descent of the children of Israel into Egypt.

Levi lived eighty-seven years in Egypt (as shown above), and the children of Israel were in bondage for at least eighty years while Moses was living (as shown above). So, if we take the number of years that Levi was in Egypt and the number of years that the children of Israel were in Egypt while Moses was alive, and before he took them out of captivity, and add them together, we then get 167 years that the children of Israel were in bondage.

But, one might say, the record says that the number of years from the promise to the law were 430, and 215 and 167 do not add up to 430. And this is true; consideration must be given to the years that Jochebed, Moses’ mother, was upon the earth after Levi died and before Moses was born. Since Jochebed was the daughter of Levi, and Moses was her son (as shown above), then to complete the 430 years, Jochebed had to be 48 years or older when she gave birth to Moses. This age of childbearing is perfectly normal and consistent with biology and scripture as Moses was not the eldest child of Jochebed.

In conclusion, there were 430 years from the promise given to Abraham to the giving of the law at Mt. Sinai—215 from the promise to the descent into Egypt and 215 from the descent into Egypt to the Law.

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Selling Our Children?

Selling Our Children?

When Jacob was making plans to go back to his homeland, he told Rachel and Leah how Laban had treated him by making him work fourteen years of hard labor for them. They likewise complained of Laban’s treatment of them saying, “Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money” (Genesis 31:15). As Laban had sold his children: Rachel and Leah, so we may sell our children. Now, while I am sure that most parents would not sell their children into marriage for money as Laban did, yet many parents are selling their children into a bondage that is far worse.

Are you selling your children?

Are you selling your children?

PARENTS MAY SELL THEIR CHILDREN INTO THE BONDAGE OF IGNORANCE

The Bible says that parents are to bring their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). Parents may sell their children into ignorance by neglecting to obey this teaching. Jesus said, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). Therefore, knowledge of the Bible brings freedom, but ignorance leaves one in the bondage of sin. Now in addition, parents may also sell their children into the bondage of ignorance by failing to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the church for the children to learn the Bible. Parents who do not come to the Bible classes and bring their children, are selling their children into the bondage of ignorance. And far too often Bible class is being replaced by playtime or entertainment. Yet, have we ever wandered when the Lord said, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children” (Hosea 4:6)? God could not bless their children in ignorance and neither can children today who are in ignorance. Sadly, they would be without God’s blessing because their parents had left them without a knowledge of God.

PARENTS MAY SELL THEIR CHILDREN INTO RELIGIOUS ERROR

Parents may sell their children into error by believing error. Children usually follow in the steps of their parents and I have heard on many occasions a child or adult who said, “This is the way my granddaddy believed it, this is what my father believed, and this is what I believe and I am not going to change despite what is shown to me in the Bible.” It is terrible to say that many times a child has refused to accept the truth when pointed out to him because it was not what his parents believed. How careful parents ought to be about what they believe, for the chances are that if they believe error, they will sell their children into a life of error and finally they will sell them into eternal condemnation. In addition, parents may also sell their children into error by failing to teach them to investigate every doctrine and do their own thinking. They should teach them to find out for themselves what the Bible teaches. They should impress on their children that all men, including parents, are fallible, but the Bible is divine and unerring. This is the best way to keep from selling children into error.

PARENTS MAY SELL THEIR CHILDREN INTO INFIDELITY

Many parents are selling their children into infidelity by refusing to see the need of Christian education and sacrifice to provide their children with it. There are so many who claim Jesus, but are disobedient and unfaithful to Him. When children are subjected to the influence of state schools, and particularly state colleges, many of them lose their faith and plenty have gone so far as to become atheists and blindly believe whatever they are told by others. Parents that sends their child to a state school and thereby destroys his faith in so doing because they were never grounded in the Truth and in faithfulness to God in the first place, has just as certainly sold his children into infidelity as if he had personally taught him there is no God!

PARENTS MAY SELL THEIR CHILDREN INTO A LIFE OF SIN

Parents who never think about their own soul, but live only for this life, are selling their own children into sin. It was written, “And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father” (1 Kings 15:11). Asa’s mother is mentioned in the proceeding verse and the implication is that Asa did right because of the influence of his mother. However, the example of Zachariah is written in 2 Kings 15:9 where it says, “And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his fathers had done: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin” (2 Kings 15:9). Jeroboam sinned and sold his son into sin in so doing. Many parents have spent a great part of their lives in sin and finally saw that it did not pay, turned from it, only to find that they could not lead their own children out of sin. Lot was one such individual who sold his family when he went into Sodom and when he pleaded with his son-in-laws. The Bible says, “Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law” (Genesis 19:14).

PARENTS MAY SELL THEIR CHILDREN INTO A SHIPWRECKED HOME

One out of every four marriages end in divorce today. This means that at least 2,280,000 people every year are devastated by divorce which does not include the children who are caught in the middle. This means a shipwrecked home. Children have been sold into the ideas of having sex before marriage by schools, friends, and television. In addition, they are taught to marry whomever you choose and if you do not like that person, no big deal, you can divorce for any reason. Parents are selling their children into a shipwrecked home and lifestyle by failing to teach them the sacredness of marriage, by failing to teach children that there should be a “lock” in wedlock, by failing to teach children the importance of marrying a Christian.

OUR CHILDREN ARE OUR GREATEST HERITAGE. LET US NOT SELL THEM.

 

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Restoring the Christian Family

A New Restoration Movement: Restoring the Christian Family

I fear that many people who read these words will never realize the real need. To many, the idea of “reclaiming the family” is simply a nice catchy slogan that reads well on the cover of a Christian magazine. But it’s not really something the average Christian needs to worry about—right? Reclaiming the family is for those who have delinquents or serious problems in the home. After all, “we attend church ever Sunday morning and our children are kind to others. Surely, we are alright.” And yet, these are precisely the individuals who I hope will re-evaluate their entire paradigm.

There is a need to restore the family.

There is a need to restore the family.

Let me begin by asking one simple question. If you knew that the activities your family was involved in would eventually lead them away from God would you change your life? I suspect most people would indicate that they would change. But when it really comes down to making those changes in our lives (when the rubber hits the road), we find ourselves making excuses and often justifying our behavior. After all, we may already be “comfortable” and changing things could involve too much energy.

In order to really reclaim our families the first thing we must do is: (1) acknowledge they need to be reclaimed. We must admit that our family has been influenced by the world more than we have influenced the world. Husbands and wives need to sit down and discuss openly the need to make changes. Then, and only then, can we begin the process of reclaiming our family.

In addition to acknowledging the need, we must also (2) honestly evaluate what we are allowing into our lives. Yes, certain shows may be funny, but are they wholesome and can we thank God for them (Col. 3:17)? This step will be the hardest for most individuals—as oftentimes we get into daily ruts and we don’t even see the danger that the world is leading us into. Evaluate your jobs, your children’s schools, your television habits, your children’s friends, your hobbies, etc. Anything that is not going to help your family get to heaven should be seriously questioned and eliminated if possible.

After you have acknowledged and identified the problem, then (3) you must act. Begin by communicating to children (old and young alike), that nothing is more important than getting to heaven, and as such, you are going to make some changes. When they see you changing your life they will be more likely to follow in your footsteps, and carry those sentiments into their own families.

If you stop at this step you will feel good about having made some serious steps towards reclaiming your family—but one final step remains. In order to insure success, (4) families must replace old bad habits with new good ones. Time that used to be spent in front of mindless television shows can be used to study the Bible together, learn new hobbies, exercising together, or just sitting down sharing your thoughts and feelings across a dinner table. Take some time to learn how to reconnect with one another, and teach your children how to recognize anti-God influences.

For twelve years we send our most precious gifts, our offspring, off to be indoctrinated in secular humanism and atheistic ideology—and our tax dollars are paying for this propaganda. (In many cases we are literally paying to have our children led away from Christ!) Those twelve years are followed by four years of undergraduate study in which their faith is questioned and tried in various classrooms. And for the life of us, we cannot figure out why so many young Christians are abandoning their faith. Many Christians have not fully recognized that our children are the ultimate prize. Activists in our country have waged war on Christianity, and they are quietly enlisting our own children against us. By shaping their thoughts and molding their value system for twelve years, secular humanists and evolutionists have fashioned their minds to reject the concept of a God. Instead, they return home to us embracing a philosophy of: “eat, drink, and be merry, and always look out for number one!”

When Adolf Hitler was laying the foundation for his New World Order—the Nazi Party—he commented, “Let me control the textbooks and I will control the state. The state will take youth and give to youth its own education and its own upbringing.” Hitler knew that the youth were the key to his dominance and the future. During a speech he delivered on November 6, 1939, Hitler affirmed: “When an opponent declares, ‘I will not come over to your side,’ I calmly say, ‘Your child belongs to us already…What are you? You will pass on. Your descendants, however, now stand in the new camp. In a short time they will know nothing else but this new community.’”

Hitler knew that youth held the ability to reshape the cultural and philosophical framework of a nation. Hitler’s words sound extremely similar to Abraham Lincoln’s, who once noted: “The philosophy of the schoolroom in one generation will be the philosophy of the government in the next.

Why do we find the world in the state it is today? Tim La­Haye, in his book, The Battle for the Mind, suggested: “Our present society is in a state of moral decay, not because the majority of Americans love degeneracy, but because the influence of humanism has been greater on our culture than the influence of the church” (1980, p. 189). The time has come to reverse that trend! Christ said:

Ye are the salt of the earth:… Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a lamp, and put it under a bushel, but on a stand; and it shineth unto all that are in the house. even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:13-16).

God’s people are to uphold that which is right, and oppose that which is wrong. In so doing, we set an example for all around us. We must oppose atheism/humanism because its teach­ings are contrary to the teachings of God’s Word. We must come to understand, and help others to understand, the fol­ly of human “wisdom” such as is found in society’s current philosophies.

For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and discernment of the discerning will I bring to naught. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of the world? ­Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For seeing that in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom knew not God, it was God’s good plea­sure through the foolishness of the preaching to save them that believe (I Corinthians 1:19-21).

Human wisdom leads away from God if not founded on, guarded by, and subject to biblical revelation. Human wis­dom is at war with God (Romans 8:7), and is foolishness as far as God is concerned (I Corinthians 3:19-20).

The Joseph Challenge

Let me encourage every family who reads this article to consider taking the Joseph challenge. Joseph was 17 years old when we are introduced to him in Genesis 37. Within just a short period of time he was sold into slavery by his brothers—into a land where he didn’t even know the language. He was placed into Potiphar’s house and seduced on numerous occasions by Potiphar’s wife. He was falsely accused of sexual misconduct and thrown in jail. And yet, through all of this he remains faithful to God. Let me encourage you to raise your children (and/or grandchildren) to be strong enough in the world that they too can withstand such trials by the tender age of 17. Use those first seventeen years to instill goodness, purity, and reverence toward Almighty God.

In Ezekiel 22 we find one of the most troubling passages in all of God’s Word. In reviewing the actions of Jerusalem, Ezekiel records that Jerusalem had violated most, if not all of the Ten Commandments. The vast army of Nebuchadnezzar was poised around the city, about to begin a two-year siege that would bring utter destruction to the city. In those days, the common practice to fortify a city was to build a giant wall. Enemies wanting to overthrow the city were then forced to concentrate their efforts on breaching a hole in one portion of the wall. But often, men of the city would step into the gap and fight to protect their homeland. They were willing to “stand in the gap.” At the end of chapter 22 we learn that this is not the case with Jerusalem. God said: “‘I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their heads,’ says the Lord God.” No one was willing to stand in the gap. Parents and grandparents, we must stand in the gap and fight for the souls of our children! Unrighteousness still abounds. The laws and commands of God are still being violated. Have you heard the battle cry? Will you reclaim your family and stand in the gap on their behalf?

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