nephesh – Quest For Truth

Chronological Study (012/365)

June 9, 2024Tagged 'āḏôn, 'āhaḇ, Abrahamic, adon, Allon-bacuth, Asher, ben-'ônî, ben-oni, Benjamin, Bethel, Bethlehem, Bible study, Bilhah, binyamin, binyāmîn, camp, chronology, circumcised, circumcision, commentary, concubine, contended, contending, contends, dabaq, Dan, Deborah, deceit, deception, defiled, defilement, Dinah, dislocate, dislocated, dislocates, dāḇaq, El Shaddai, El-Elohe-Israel, Ephrath, Esau, Father in Heaven, Gad, Genesis, Genesis 32, Genesis 33, Genesis 34, Genesis 35, God Almighty, God's Word, H157, H1692, H3478, H3820, H4029, H4264, H4266, H4820, H5315, H6439, Hamor, Hebrew, Hebron, hip, Hivite, idolatry, idols, Isaac, Israel, Issachar, Jabbok river, Jacob, Jewish, Joseph, Judah, judaism, kill, Kiriath-arba, lave, lay with her by force, Leah, Levi, Lord, Luz, lēḇ, maḥănayim, maḥănê, Mahanaim, maiden, Mamre, messianic Judaism, miḡdal-ʿēḏer, migdal-eder, mirmâ, murder, Naphtali, nephesh, nep̄ešh, oak of Moreh, Old Testament, penû'ēl, peniel, Pentateuch, Penuel, Pointless Thorns, pointlessthorns, preincarnate, prevailed, prevails, Rachel, rape, raped, Rebekah, Rebekah's nurse, Reuben, royal priesthood, Shechem, Simeon, socket, son of the right hand, son of the south, Strongs, Tanakh, theophany, TNKH, Torah, who's your daddy?, Word of GOD, wrestled, wrestler, wrestles, wrestling, yiśrā'ēl, Zebulun, Zilpah, אָדוֹן, אָהַב, דָּבַק, יִשְׂרָאֵל, לֵב, מִגְדַּל־עֵדֶר, מִרְמָה, מַֽחֲנֶה, מַֽחֲנַיִם, נֶפֶשׁ, פְּנוּאֵלLeave a comment

Genesis 32:1 – 35:27

THE GOD OF ISRAEL
(Genesis 32-33)

Genesis 32:1-2 says, “¹Now as Jacob went on his way, the angels of God met him. ²Jacob said when he saw them, ‘This is God’s camp.’ So he named that place Mahanaim.”

Reminiscent of Jacob’s vision of the ladder/stairway to Heaven (28:16-17), Jacob again is granted access to see into the spiritual realm. This time, he notices that the angels are with him, not merely going up and down between Heaven and earth. The word “camp” is the Hebrew word מַֽחֲנֶה [H4264] maḥănê (makh-an-ay’), which means a camp, host, or company, whether of soldiers or tribes. And the word “Mahanaim” Jacob chose to name the location is the Hebrew מַֽחֲנַיִם [H4266] maḥănayim (makh-an-ay’-yim), which is the dual of the prior word and means two camps. In other words, Jacob essentially exclaimed, “My camp is here, but so is a heavenly camp of the Lord’s angels!” Whereas Bethel (which means “house of God”), suggested a fixed location for GOD, this maḥănê (camp) implies that the Lord’s heavenly army is mobile. Indeed, GOD is with Jacob, just as He promised He would be (28:15).

In 32:3-5, knowing that he is returning to the land of his father, Jacob takes the initiative to reconnect with his brother Esau because he knows that he will eventually be forced to confront his past. Seeking to find favor in his brother’s sight, Jacob instructs his messengers to go ahead of him to Esau. In the Hebrew, word play is involved between 32:1 and 32:3 with the word מַלְאָךְ [H4397] mal’āḵ (mal-awk’), which does mean messenger when referring to a mere human, but is also translated to mean an angel when referring to the Lord’s messenger. So, the Lord sent messengers (angels) from His camp to meet Jacob, and Jacob decides to send messengers from his camp to meet Esau. When Jacob sends his messengers, he instructs them to address Esau as “lord” and to refer to Jacob as his “servant”. Now, when Jacob calls Esau “lord”, it is important to understand that Jacob is not referring to him as the Lord, or acknowledging him as a god; rather, the word “lord” is the Hebrew אָדוֹן [H113] ‘āḏôn (aw-done’), which means a king, a master, an owner, or someone who is in control. Thus, Jacob acknowledging and declaring himself to be in a lower position than Esau was an act of humility. In fact, this act of humility is a redemptive role reversal of when Jacob took advantage of Esau in order to acquire his birthright and blessing (25:29-34; 27:5-38). Essentially, Jacob’s actions declared that he was not first; moreover, he desired for Esau to be blessed.

In 32:6-8, Jacob’s messengers returned and stated that Esau was coming to meet him and that 400 men were with Esau. This news terrified Jacob. Why? Because in 27:41-42, the last memory he had of his brother is when his mother informed him that Esau intended to murder him. After all, with only 318 men, Abraham defeated the combined forces of four kings (14:14-16), so 400 men had the potential of completely wiping out Jacob and his entire line. Consequently, Jacob divided everyone and everything into two camps, thinking that if Esau attacked them, then at least one camp might be able to escape with their lives. Now, the Hebrew word used is מַֽחֲנֶה [H4264] maḥănê (makh-an-ay’), which is the same word that was used to describe the two camps of Jacob’s tribe and the angels of the Lord in 32:1-2. At first, Jacob was one whole camp, but then the fear of his brother tore him in half into two camps. But if the second camp was supposed to be the angels of the Lord who were with him, why did Jacob allow the fear of his brother to overcome him? Simply put, the reason is because Jacob was human and he allowed his emotions to overcome the logical truth that the Lord’s angels were with him. However, despite his fear, in 32:9-12, Jacob responded by turning to the Lord in prayer. Though Jacob did use GOD’s personal name (YHWH) for the first time, Jacob prayed to the GOD of Abraham and Isaac, revealing yet again that he had not committed himself wholeheartedly to a personal relationship with the Lord. In his prayer, he reminded the Lord of all that the Lord had promised him and then he requested for the Lord’s protection while also humbly acknowledging the fact that he was undeserving of all the love and faithfulness the Lord had already shown him, recognizing that he started with nothing and is now blessed to even be able to be two camps. Jacob reflected on his decision to walk with the Lord and how it brought him blessings. Why would the GOD of Bethel abandon him now? Truly, there’s only two paths we can walk in life, either the path of righteousness or the path of wickedness (Deuteronomy 11:26-28; 30:15-20; Proverbs 3:6-7; Ezekiel 18; John 3:18-21; Romans 1:28; 1John 3:4-10). C.S. Lewis might have said it best: “There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’ ” And so Jacob stayed where he was at while waiting for the Lord to guide him under His protection.

In Genesis 32:13-21, Jacob attempted to spend the night where he was at, but apparently was unable to sleep. While waiting for the Lord to respond to his prayer of protection, Jacob formulated a plan and then took action. Jacob decided to send ahead of him a peace offering gift of over 500 animals for Esau to keep for himself. This gift was larger than many towns would have been able to pay in tribute to conquering kings even at later dates, indicating just how much GOD had blessed Jacob. Not only did Jacob send over 500 animals, but in a tactical move of defense, he sent them one drove at a time, and put a space between each drove. If Esau and his men had in mind to conquer and plunder, this would have potentially saved them the trouble of exerting energy in battle. After sending the peace offering ahead of him, Jacob was still unable to sleep and so in 32:22-23, he decided to send everyone and everything across the shallow point of the Jabbok (yab-boke’) river to continue their journey even though it was still dark outside.

However, in 32:24-32, this decision to send everyone and everything across the river left Jacob alone on the other side, and abruptly, “a man” wrestled with him until daybreak. Thus, Scripture reveals a theme of mankind’s unceasing desire to wrestle against each other and against GOD. At first, Leah and Rachel wrestled against each other (30:7-8), then Laban and Jacob wrestled against each other (29:25; 31:26-30), and now Jacob finds himself wrestling with a mysterious “man”. Now, when this “man” saw that Jacob wouldn’t allow Him to prevail against Jacob, the “man” dislocated the socket of Jacob’s thigh where it meets his hip and then He told Jacob to let Him go because the dawn was breaking. Jacob, however, said he refused to let go until the “man” blessed him. In response to Jacob’s request to be blessed, the “man” asked Jacob, “What is your name?” And Jacob answered, “Jacob.” However, the “man” said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.” Jacob then asked for the name of the “man”, but His response was only, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And then the “man” blessed Jacob. And then as it is written, Jacob named the place Peniel because he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved.” And then as the sun came up, and the “man” was gone, Jacob continued his journey, limping.

As previously discussed in the topic of theophany, the “man” in this story is none other than the preincarnate Christ, the Lord Himself. For this reason, Jacob named the location פְּנוּאֵל [H6439] penû’ēl (pen-oo-ale’), which means face of God or facing God. It is also the reason the Lord said to Jacob, “you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.” How did Jacob prevail? Because he refused to give up; he was determined to be blessed. Jacob refused to let go of the Lord and so he received the Lord’s blessing! Hosea 12:3 will later recount this event by saying, “In the womb he took his brother by the heel, And in his maturity he contended with God.”

Now, even though Jacob said that he had seen GOD “face to face”, that does not mean he literally saw the entirety of the Lord’s face. Not only is this an expression that describes personal or intimate contact, but we must remember that the entire wrestling match happened during the darkness of night. For this reason, I believe the Lord instructed Jacob to let go of Him prior to sunrise so that Jacob would not be able to see His face entirely. In fact, the Lord chose to dislocate the socket of Jacob’s thigh to initiate a conclusion to the wrestling match because Jacob refused to let go until he received a blessing. However, to receive His blessing, Jacob had to answer a simple question: “What is your name?” And Jacob answered, “Jacob.” But why did Jacob’s answer of such a simple truth earn him the blessing? Because Jacob’s history had been centered around lies regarding his identity. In Genesis 27:18-19, Isaac asked Jacob who he was, but Jacob lied and claimed to be Esau, the person who rightfully deserved the blessing. But this time, Jacob told the truth and humbly confessed his character flaw and his true identity – he is Jacob, the heel grabber, deceiver, and supplanter (25:26; 27:36). In his past, Jacob had been determined to be blessed even if he had to receive his blessing through deceitful deeds. Though Jacob is still seeking to be blessed (which is a good desire), he is now humble and desires to receive blessings through honesty and hard work. Due to Jacob’s character development over 20 years of being deceived by Laban, Jacob was now humble enough to receive the Lord’s blessing. Hence, the Lord renamed him from Jacob to “Israel”, which is the Hebrew יִשְׂרָאֵל [H3478] yiśrā’ēl (yis-raw-ale’), which means God’s power, God prevails, God fights, or God contends. Thus, the Lord made it known that every blessing and victory Jacob will ever receive will not come from Jacob’s own power out from deception, but due to the Lord’s power, holiness, love, and grace. However, the name Israel also has a meaning of contending with GOD, implying that Jacob wrestled with GOD and will no longer strive against man because all his struggles will now be taken directly to the Lord. And the fact that Jacob wrestled the Lord in the darkness and then became Israel when the sun came up showcases the image of salvation! Consider the following:

In Isaiah 9:2, the prophet speaks of hope in the Messiah and says, “The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them.” And then Jesus quotes this verse in Matthew 4:16.

In John 8:12, Jesus says, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

In John 12:46, Jesus says, “I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness.”

In Acts 26:18, after Jesus blinded Paul (Saul) with light brighter than the sun, Jesus commanded Paul to open the eyes of both Jews and Gentiles “so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in [Christ].”

In Romans 13:12, Paul says, “The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”

In Ephesians 5:8, Paul says, “you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light.”

In Colossians 1:13-14, Paul says, “¹³For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, ¹⁴in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

In 1Thessalonians 5:4-6, Paul says, “⁴But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; ⁵for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; ⁶so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.”

In 1Peter 2:9-10, Peter says, “⁹But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; ¹⁰for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

Therefore, Jacob – now Israel – is a representative of GOD-Almighty and now walks in the light as a chosen child of GOD of the royal priesthood. However, so that Israel would understand not to rely on his own power, the Lord dislocated the socket of his thigh; consequently, Israel continued on his journey, blessed by the Lord, but humbled and limping, no longer able to run away from the consequences of his choices. And this entire story paints a beautiful picture that when a person seeks the Lord in prayer and asks to be rescued, that person will encounter a wrestling match with the Lord due to his/her sinful nature of darkness. And when that person wrestles with the Lord while seeking the Lord’s blessing, that person will never walk the same again because that person will be changed, will become a new person, will not rely upon his/her own strength, and will rely upon the Lord. That person will be changed and will walk in the light as a chosen child of GOD of the royal priesthood! Israel became a wrestler who overcomes and receives blessings because the Lord took hold of him. The Lord taught Israel not to grab at the heel of any man, but to hold on to GOD and never let go. If you set out to grab onto GOD, GOD will grab hold of you! For this reason, it is written in James 4:8, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” And when the Lord grabs hold of you, truly, as it is written in 2Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” For this reason, it is also written in Revelation 2:17, “To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.”

In Genesis 33:1-3, Israel, now limping, and still having not slept the night before, yet sober and alert, looked up and noticed that Esau and his 400 men were coming toward him. With adrenaline flowing through his veins, Israel divided the children among the two maids, Leah, and Rachel, putting the maids and their children in front, Leah and her children after them, and then Rachel and Joseph last. Why did he do this? Favoritism. Israel positioned them according to prioritized favor, which would have allowed Rachel and Joseph the best opportunity to flee for their lives if Esau and his men attacked. And with Joseph being the only child listed by name, Scripture is setting the stage for his prominent position we will later see. However, in a selfless and masculine act of love, Israel then “passed on ahead of them and bowed down to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother”, placing himself between the women and children and the potential threat. Before Israel wrestled with GOD, he planned to stay behind and use his servants as shields to protect himself (32:16-21); however, after receiving his new name and identity, he decided to go ahead of everyone in an act of sacrificial love. This is an example of how the love of GOD changes us from the inside out and realigns us with GOD’s will! The fact that he bowed down to the ground seven times showcases total submission, signifying to Esau that if he had any intentions of battle, then Israel surrendered in advance. Essentially, Israel gave honor to Esau while also requesting mercy and pleading for peace. And then 33:4 says that Esau ran to Israel. How would you feel in that moment if you were Israel, not knowing if your brother is running toward you with excitement or with rage? Yet the verse continues by saying that Esau embraced Israel and then they both wept. 20 years of emotions streamed down their faces in the form of tears. By Esau forgiving Jacob and not attacking him, Esau was showing Jacob the love of GOD (Matthew 6:12-15; 18:21-35; Mark 11:25; Luke 6:37; 7:47; 11:4; 17:3-4; 2Corinthians 2:7-8; Colossians 3:13). After all, as it is written, ‘the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen” (1John 4:20; see also, 1Timothy 5:8).

In Genesis 33:5-11, Israel continues to address Esau as “lord” and refers to himself as “servant” while explaining that all the animals Esau had seen were a gift for him. Esau, addressing Israel as his “brother” declines the gift at first, but at Israel’s insistence, he finally accepts the gift. Esau’s acceptance of the gift was important to Israel because this was restitution for the wrongdoings he had committed against his brother 20 years ago. Now, in 33:10, when Israel said, “I see your face as one sees the face of God, and you have received me favorably”, he was not implying that Esau was like a god, but merely making a connection of the fact that Esau received him favorably and spared his life just like the “man” did who recently blessed him (32:30). If you remember, Israel believed he saw the “face of God” in that “man” who received him favorably, blessed him, and spared his life. Thus, to be received with such favor is like the encounter he had with the Lord. Therefore, when we act like the Lord, people will see the Lord when they look at us.

In 33:12, Esau says, “Let us take our journey and go, and I will go before you.” The minor details in the language are important. Esau used inclusive language such as “us” and “our” to communicate to his brother that there is no division between them. Further, Esau even offered to go before Israel, signifying that he will ensure Israel’s safety. However, in 33:13-18, Israel, still addressing his brother as “lord” and referring to himself as “servant”, explains that he is unable to travel with Esau and his men because their fast pace would be a strain on all the youth of the children and animals. And then for reasons unknown, Israel tells Esau that he would eventually meet him in Seir (say-eer’). However, the remainder of the passage goes on to state that Israel traveled in the opposite direction to Succoth and then on to Shechem, without ever mentioning Israel going to Seir. Why not? Did Israel lie to his brother? Did he visit him at some point later on yet Scripture doesn’t mention it? Scripture is silent on the matter, but the immediate context seems to imply that Israel won’t allow himself to trust Esau, and he simply desires to continue on his journey without meeting up with his brother. All known details seem to imply that Israel didn’t want to inform Esau where he was going or what he was about to do. Of course, that is mere speculation, but I believe it is a reasonable belief considering all available evidence.

Though Scripture does not say anything more regarding Seir, Scripture does state that the Lord brought Israel back safely to the land of Canaan into the city of Shechem, thus mostly fulfilling His promise made 20 years ago (28:15). And then 33:19-20 concludes with Israel purchasing some land in that city, fulfilling GOD’s promise to Abraham (12:7). Israel then possibly reconstructs the altar Abraham had built there, by building an altar and calling it “El-Elohe-Israel.” Why is this important? Because “El-Elohe-Israel” means “God, the God of Israel”. Therefore, Israel finally made the decision to have a personal relationship with the Lord rather than referring to the Lord as “the God of Abraham” or “the God of Isaac”. The Lord is now the GOD of Israel.

In Genesis 32:1-2, Jacob had been in awe that a camp of the Lord’s angels had been with him. But are you aware that a heavenly host of the Lord’s angels are with you wherever you are? Do you have the same sense of awe? If you could see them where you are right now, how would that change your perspective regarding your current circumstance?
In 32:3-5, Jacob took the initiative to restore the relationship with his brother. What followed was a successful restoration and an encounter with the Lord which concluded with the Lord blessing Jacob. But what about you? Is there a relationship that has been broken between you and someone else because of the wrong you’ve committed? If so, are you willing to take the initiative to restore that relationship?
In 32:9-12, Jacob’s first response to his fear and uncertainty regarding his future was to pray to the Lord. But what about you? Is prayer your last resort or your first response?
If there are only two paths we can walk, then there are really only two camps in which we can dwell. Where are you walking? In which campground do you dwell?
In 32:24-32, Jacob refused to let go of the Lord; consequently, he received His blessing. But what about you? Regardless of circumstances, are you determined to never let go of the Lord until you receive His blessing?
We must be persistent in our faith and refuse to let go of GOD until we are blessed (Matthew 7:7-11; Luke 18:1-8; 11:5-13)! Where in your spiritual life do you need the persistence and endurance of a wrestler?
In order for Jacob to be blessed by the Lord, he first had to confess his true identity and character flaws of being sinful. Only those who confess their sinful nature showcase a need for the Lord’s blessing. 1John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Are you willing to confess your sinful nature?
Every wrestling match Jacob ever found himself in, he came out victorious. Have you wrestled with your identity? Have you wrestled against your sinful nature? Have you wrestled against your pride? Have you wrestled against addiction? What things in your life do you need to wrestle against and come out victorious?
Jacob had been named after his character. But what about you? What if you were named after your character? What would be your name? Liar? Murderer? Pervert? Lustful? Angry? Cheater? Jerk? So… what is your name? Who are you? Confess your name and confess your sins. Wrestle with the Lord and ask for a new identity. What name do you want to have? What would you like to be called? Helper? Encourager? Trustworthy? Honest? Man of GOD? Woman of GOD?
Have you had a personal wrestling encounter with the Lord that ended up in you being changed and never walking the same again? If so, what is your story? And have you shared that story with anyone? If you have a testimony, are you willing to share your story? Just as we needed to hear Jacob’s story, don’t you think there are people who need to hear your story?
In Genesis 33:3, Israel placed himself between the women and children and a potential attacker even though he had been injured, he was exhausted, and without sleep. In John 15:13, Jesus says, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” So, are you loving enough to place yourself between the enemy and those who are weaker or innocent?
In Genesis 33:10, Israel saw the Lord in Esau due to his lovingkindness. But what about you? When people look at you, do they see a reflection of the Lord? If you have been changed by the Lord, do you not realize that when people look at you, they should see a representative of GOD-Almighty who now walks in the light as a chosen child of GOD of the royal priesthood?

DEDICATION TO DINAH
(Genesis 34)

Genesis 34:1 says that Leah’s daughter, Dinah, went out one day to visit with other daughters of the land. But 34:2 says, “When Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he took her and lay with her by force.” Now, Dinah was not to blame for Shechem raping her; Shechem would have been the only person condemned in this scenario. However, a curious question does arise regarding Dinah’s situation: why did she go out to visit with the other daughters of the land? Did she have a good reason to leave the safety of her home or did she go when she should not have traveled? In 1Timothy 5:13, Paul says that some young women, “learn to be idle, as they go around from house to house; and not merely idle, but also gossips and busybodies, talking about things not proper to mention.” So, did Dinah go where she should not have been? We don’t know; Scripture is silent on the matter. But because Scripture describes this event as if it were a normal occurrence for Dinah, it seems likely that she was completely innocent. However, Dinah’s innocence seems to have been combined with complacency. Had she traveled alone? If so, it’s likely that her youthful immaturity led her to be isolated and vulnerable to the attack. But again, even if Dinah had somehow set herself up to enter into a dangerous scenario, Shechem would be the only person condemned in this scenario; Dinah was a victim. However, it’s always good to thoughtfully consider how events unfolded and why things happened the way they did.

It is written that Shechem is the son of Hamor the Hivite. If you remember, Genesis 10:17 informed us that the Hivites are descendants of Ham (one of Noah’s sons), through the Canaanites. They were indigenous inhabitants of the promised land, and they were usually referred to along with other groups such as the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, and Jebusites. Later in our chronological journey, the Lord will command the Israelites to conquer these people and take over the promised land (Exodus 3:8; 23:23; Deuteronomy 7:1).

Genesis 34:3 says, “He was deeply attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke tenderly to her.” Now, when it says that “He was deeply attracted to” Dinah, that English translation comes from two Hebrew words. First, the word דָּבַק [H1692] dāḇaq (dawb-vak’) means to stick to, to cling to, and hence, connected to [someone/something]. Second, the word נֶפֶשׁ [H5315] nep̄ešh (neh’-fesh) means soul, self, life, person, living being, that which breathes the breath of life. Therefore, the Hebrew literally means that Shechem’s soul had connected to Dinah’s soul and stuck to her. As a natural consequence of that sexual relation with her, he experienced and felt the power of GOD’s design of two becoming one (2:24). However, Shechem acted sinfully outside of GOD’s design because Dinah was not his wife and she had been unwilling to become one with him. And because his soul had connected to her, he realized that he “loved” her. Though the Hebrew word אָהַב [H157] ‘āhaḇ (aw-hav’) does mean to love, the irony of this situation is that the proper context of the scenario reveals the opposite. Obviously Shechem did not love Dinah; if he had loved her, he would not have raped her. The truth is that his initial feeling had been lust, not love. However, after he experienced the beauty of his soul connecting to her soul and becoming one with her, he then desired to love her. When Scripture says he spoke “tenderly” to her, the Hebrew word לֵב [H3820] lēḇ (lave) means the inner person, mind, heart, will, conscious understanding. Therefore, the Hebrew literally means that Shechem attempted to speak to Dinah’s heart, the inner most part of who she is, with the hope of her understanding his words. However, that action should have preceded the action of sexual intercourse. And because Shechem defied GOD’s design, he defiled Dinah.

In 34:4, Shechem spoke to his father, Hamor, and requested that he acquire Dinah to be his wife. In 35:5, Jacob heard that Dinah had been defiled. Scripture doesn’t state how Jacob heard, but it seems likely that Dinah went back home and shared the horrible news with her father. However, because his sons were tending livestock in a field, Jacob decided to stay silent until his sons returned home. According to James 1:19-20, Jacob’s initial silence seems to be wise, for it is written, “¹⁹But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; ²⁰for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.”

In Genesis 34:6-10, Hamor went to Jacob in order to arrange a marriage between Shechem and Dinah. By this point, Jacob’s sons had also heard the news and arrived, extremely angry. In Hamor’s negotiation for marriage on behalf of his son, he presented an offer of intermarriage, saying, “give your daughters to us and take our daughters for yourselves.” The end goal of this deal would be to unite as one large tribe who would share all the land and resources within the land, thus ensuring their strength and survival. In 34:11-12, Shechem added that he would do whatever it takes and pay any price as long as he could have Dinah as his wife. Though a bride price was typical in the Ancient Near East, it is written in Song of Solomon 8:7 that money cannot purchase love. And how could Dinah ever love the man who raped her? How could Dinah’s father and brothers ever allow her rapist to purchase her? Because Shechem had defiled Dinah, in Genesis 34:13-17, Jacob’s sons answered Shechem and his father with deceit, telling them that they would only be able to agree to this deal if all males from their tribe became circumcised as they were, because uncircumcision was a disgrace to them. The Hebrew word for “deceit” is מִרְמָה [H4820] mirmâ (meer-maw’), which means deception with a malicious motive. This is the same word used in 27:35 when Isaac told Esau, “Your brother came deceitfully and has taken away your blessing.” Certainly, Jacob had once been known as a deceiver, but now his sons are far surpassing any deceitful ploy Jacob ever did because their motive in their deception is much darker than anything Jacob ever planned.

Surprisingly, in 34:18, the counteroffer Jacob’s sons presented seemed good and reasonable to both Hamor and Shechem. Now, I can understand why it might have seemed reasonable to Shechem since his desire to have Dinah was so strong, but I am surprised that his father, Hamor, would also believe the demand to be reasonable. What did Hamor have to gain from getting circumcised? But then 34:19-24 reveals an even greater surprise in that the entire tribe agrees to this demand as well. However, the details within those verses explains why they all agreed to the demand of circumcision. In 34:19, Scripture reveals that Shechem was the most respected person in his father’s household. Why? Well, 34:2 informs us that Shechem was “the prince of the land”. But if Shechem was the prince of the land, then it is reasonable to believe that his father, Hamor, was the king or chief of the land. And in 34:20-24, both Hamor and Shechem convinced their people that not only would they receive Jacob’s daughters for their wives, but all of Jacob’s livestock and property would become their own, and by becoming one large tribe, they would become stronger, which would better ensure their safety and survival from potential enemies. Thus, Scripture reveals a picture of deceit from both sides: Jacob’s sons have ulterior motives for convincing Hamor’s tribe to get circumcised; likewise, Hamor’s tribe has ulterior motives for allowing Jacob’s tribe to unite with them. Thus, this tense scenario is like watching two spiders who desire to eat each other – who will initiate the first move of attack and who will be consumed?

In 34:25-26, on the third day after Hamor’s tribe circumcised themselves, while they were still in pain, Simeon and Levi went through the city and killed every male of Hamor’s tribe with the sword. But why did they kill all of the males? Why not just Shechem? We truly don’t know the character of any of those males who got killed, but if Shechem was the prince of the land and his father, Hamor, was the king/chief of the land, then it would have been too risky to keep the other males alive. However, this was an evil deed because circumcision was the sign of the covenant between GOD and His people that would bring divine blessing (17:10-14). The only people who should be circumcised are those who worship GOD (YHWH) and acknowledge Abraham as their father in the faith. While Jacob’s sons were right to insist that circumcision would be necessary in order for both tribes to become one people, their decision to keep GOD out of their plans was wrong. So, not only did Jacob’s sons instruct Hamor’s tribe to do what GOD never commanded them to do, but then Simeon and Levi murdered all the males who received GOD’s covenant. But why did Simeon and Levi murder the males with the sword? Simeon was son #2 and Levi was son #3, both of them brothers to Dinah, sharing Leah as their mother.

After killing Hamor and Shechem, it is written that they took Dinah from Shechem’s house. This means that Dinah had been used as bait, living with Shechem in his house for at least three days until her brothers came and removed her from his house. Though it is almost certain that Shechem didn’t have another opportunity to rape her again due to him being circumcised and in pain, she still lived with her rapist for at least three days. In addition to the trauma Dinah experienced from being raped and then having to live with her rapist for at least three days, she also witnessed Shechem get killed by the sword. Through all of this, the true victim in this scenario had been overlooked; Dinah was neither consulted nor comforted. Can you imagine the trauma Dinah experienced?

In 34:27-29, the remainder of Jacob’s sons went through the city and took plunder from all the slain. In 34:23, Hamor’s tribe had schemed to take all of Jacob’s livestock, but in 34:28-29, in a great reversal, Jacob’s sons took not only all of Hamor’s livestock, but also the surviving children and females. Thus, many Hivites became absorbed into the tribe of Jacob.

In 34:30, angry with Simeon and Levi, Jacob told them that their actions caused the tribe of Jacob to be hated among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites. Further, believing that the other inhabitants would wage war against them, Jacob feared that they would be destroyed and erased from history. However, because Jacob had remained silent and never took action, Jacob’s sons challenged his leadership and authority and asked their father in 34:31, “Should he treat our sister as a harlot?” However, Jacob does not answer. Perhaps the inspired Scripture ends with Jacob’s silence as a reminder that Jacob’s failure to intervene at an earlier stage may have contributed to the outcome. Regardless, his silence seems to fit his character and calls to remembrance what is written in 25:27: “When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the field, but Jacob was a peaceful man, living in tents.”

Genesis 34 is an often overlooked, avoided, and rarely discussed chapter in the Bible, but Dinah deserves some time for dedicated discussion. This entire chapter was included in the Holy Spirit inspired Scriptures as a dedication to Dinah due to the devastation and division caused by the lack of devotion to Dinah and her defilement. I, for one, am in absolute awe that the Lord loved Dinah so much that He made certain that her story would be included in sacred Scripture. But what about you? Do you truly comprehend how much love the Lord had for Dinah?
In 34:1-2, Dinah got raped by Shechem because she had most likely put herself in a dangerous situation due to lacking both situational awareness and self-defense training. But what about you? Do you go to places you ought not go? Even if you travel to places that are common, do you travel alone and make yourself vulnerable to attack? Are you aware of your surroundings at all times? Have you been trained in any type of self-defense course?
Have you been a victim of rape? If so, have you received counseling? Have you been able to heal both emotionally and spiritually?
Do the exegeted details of 34:3 help you to better understand the depth beyond the surface of sexual intercourse? Are you able to better understand GOD’s design of two becoming one?
Because Jacob remained silent and failed to follow through with any fatherly leadership (34:5), his sons decided to take matters into their own hands and they conjured up a plan to murder the tribe of Hamor (34:13-29). How would you have responded if you were Jacob?
Shechem freely chose to rape a woman named Dinah; consequently, Jacob’s sons murdered the entire tribe connected with Shechem and then captured all remaining children and females, absorbing them into their own tribe. Can you see how far the reach of sin can go? Do you understand how destructive sin can be when we allow sin to be master over us?
Are you able to put yourself in the place of Dinah and understand how she might have felt? Dinah had been a victim, but Jacob’s sons created multiple new victims by capturing the children and females alive. The children most likely witnessed their fathers get murdered. The females most likely witnessed their husbands get murdered. Are you able to put yourself in the place of all the children and females who got captured and understand how they might have felt?
In 34:31, Jacob’s sons essentially presented the argument that their actions of murdering the tribe of Hamor was justified due to Shechem defiling Dinah and treating her as if she had been a harlot. Though this type of behavior was common in the Ancient Near East, do you believe that their actions were justified? Why or why not?
As Christians within the new covenant, what does the Word tell us regarding seeking revenge?
As the chronological story of the Bible continues, we will see that Dinah is never mentioned again and that she faded into oblivion. But even when everyone else seems to forget, GOD remembers. When no one seems to notice, GOD notices. When no one else seems to care, GOD cares. When you feel all alone, GOD is present. Think: GOD’s love is the reason this chapter is dedicated to Dinah. So, what does GOD want us to learn from Dinah’s drama? First, we must not allow sexual passion to boil over into evil actions. Passion must be controlled. Sexual sin is devastating because of its eternal consequences (1Corinthians 6:15-20; 10:8-13). Second, we are called to overcome evil by doing good (Romans 12:21). Third, we are to love our enemies (Matthew 5:38-48; Luke 6:27-36). Fourth, we are not to seek revenge because GOD is the Avenger (Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:17-19; Matthew 26:52).

WHO’S YOUR DADDY?
(Genesis 35:1-27)

In Genesis 34, Jacob failed to lead as a father after his daughter Dinah got raped; consequently, Jacob’s sons decided to take matters into their own hands and they murdered Hamor’s entire tribe and then looted the city. As a result, Jacob feared that the other inhabitants of the land would join forces to kill him and his entire tribe. However, in 35:1, GOD the Father does not fail to lead and He instructs Jacob to return to Bethel, dwell there, and make an altar there to Him who appeared to Jacob 20 years ago after he fled from his brother, Esau. Now, if you remember, in 28:15, the Lord said to Jacob, “Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” But what was “this” land? Bethel – the location where the Lord revealed Himself to Jacob in the vision of the stairway to Heaven.

So, in 35:2-3, encouraged and emboldened by his encounter with the Lord, Jacob commands his tribe to get rid of the foreign “gods” among them, to purify themselves, change their garments, and then after doing so, they would all travel to Bethel in order to make an altar to his GOD who has been with him through everything and never left him. And surprisingly, in 35:4, everyone falls into line and acts in faithful obedience to Jacob’s command once again: “So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods which they had and the rings which were in their ears, and Jacob hid them under the oak which was near Shechem.”

Now, this oak tree is likely the same “oak of Moreh” (mo-reyh’) mentioned in 12:6 when Abram traveled to the “site of Shechem” where the Lord appeared to Abram and promised him that the land would belong to his descendants, and then Abram built an altar there to the Lord. But why did Jacob’s entire tribe have to be told to get rid of the foreign “gods” among them? Well, evidently the foreign “gods” Rachel stole from Laban (31:19) were still with her, but it’s also likely that some of the foreign “gods” came from the plunder they took after murdering Hamor’s tribe and looting the city (34:25-29). But Jacob commanded his tribe to get rid of those idols.

The burial of these idols at Shechem may be symbolically significant, implying that the wicked actions of Simeon and Levi reflect the influence of polytheism. In fact, later on in our chronological journey, we will see in 1Corinthians 10:20-22 that Paul says, “²⁰the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers in demons. ²¹You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. ²²Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? We are not stronger than He, are we?” Therefore, Jacob was preparing his family to properly worship the Lord for when they arrive in Bethel.

In Genesis 34:30, Jacob worried that all the other inhabitants of the land would unite together to kill him and his entire tribe; however, 35:5 states that GOD had placed a great terror upon all the surrounding cities so that they did not pursue Jacob’s tribe as they traveled. So, in 35:6-7, Jacob and his tribe arrive in Luz (which will later become known as Bethel) and Jacob builds and altar there, calling the place “El-bethel” (which means “God of Bethel”, or “The God of the house of God”). In 28:18, Jacob had only constructed a pillar to GOD, but now he constructs an altar to GOD, revealing a personal relationship with the Lord and acknowledging how GOD has been faithful to him.

Now, in 35:8, the narration seems to be abruptly interrupted and says, “Now Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the oak; it was named Allon-bacuth” [al-lone’ baw-kooth’] (which means “oak of weeping”). But why is the death of Rebekah’s nurse mentioned yet the death of Rebekah is never mentioned? Why was there never any weeping for Rebekah mentioned? And why was Rebekah’s nurse with Jacob anyway? In 24:59, Rebekah’s nurse is briefly mentioned, yet without name. Here, a name of the nurse has been given as Deborah. It’s possible that her presence with Jacob suggests that she had been sent to him by Rebekah in fulfillment of her promise in 27:45 when she said, “I will send and get you from there”. Nevertheless, Scripture is silent on the matter and so all guesses are mere conjecture. However, one thing seems to be certain: the narration regarding Deborah’s burial is not an abrupt interruption; rather, it is a continuation of the previous narration and showcases a stark contrast to the burial of the false “gods”. No tears were shed while burying the false “gods”; to be rid of those false “gods” is a good riddance. However, there was weeping involved in Deborah’s death.

In 35:9-10, it is written that GOD blessed Jacob. This not only confirms the blessing he received from the Lord in his wrestling match in 32:29, but more importantly, it places Jacob on a par with Abraham and Isaac, of whom similar affirmations were also made (24:1; 25:11). Not only did GOD bless Jacob, but He also reminded him that his name was no longer Jacob, but Israel. So, not only did GOD bring Israel back to the place where he first encountered the Lord (28:10-22), but GOD made it known that the GOD of Bethel is the same GOD who gave Israel his new identity back in 32:24-32 after wrestling with Jacob and dislocating the socket of his thigh. Therefore, the Lord who revealed Himself at the top of the stairway to Heaven is the same Lord who wrestled with Jacob and gave him his new name of Israel. But in 35:11, GOD gives Israel a new name by which he can call the Lord: El Shaddai (which means, “God Almighty” or “God most powerful”). And this is how GOD revealed Himself to Abraham in 17:5-6, and also how Isaac referred to GOD in 28:3-4 when he blessed Jacob. And continuing in 35:11-12, GOD Almighty says to Israel, “¹¹Be fruitful and multiply; A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, And kings shall come forth from you. ¹²“The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give it to you, And I will give the land to your descendants after you.”

When GOD said, “Be fruitful and multiply”, it was the same command GOD gave to Adam and Eve (1:28) and Noah and his sons (9:1), but it was also the blessing Isaac spoke to Jacob before he fled from his brother (28:3). And when GOD said that nations and kings would come from him, that was the same promise GOD gave to Abraham (17:6,16). Therefore, GOD declares that Israel is indeed the one who will continue what GOD started through Abraham.

In 35:13-16, after GOD finished speaking, Israel set up a pillar, anointed it with oil, and then the entire tribe of Israel continued on their journey toward Ephrath (ef-rawth’). However, on the way, Rachel began to give birth, but she had great difficulty and suffered severely through her labor. In 35:17, a midwife said to her, “Do not fear, for now you have another son.” In fact, the birth of this son was exactly what Rachel had desired. In 30:23-24, after giving birth to Joseph, believing that GOD had taken away her reproach, she named her son Joseph, saying, “May the Lord give me another son” because the meaning of “Joseph” is “may he add”, which implied that her prayer was for GOD to give her yet another son. Therefore, this new son was the answer to Rachel’s prayer.

However, 35:18 says that Rachel’s “soul” departed from her body while giving birth. The Hebrew word translated here as “soul” is the same word that had been used in 2:7 when GOD gave Adam the breath of life and he became a “living being”. The Hebrew word is נֶפֶשׁ [H5315] nep̄hešh (neh’-fesh), which means soul, self, life, the inner being of a person, mind, living being, creature, desire, emotion, passion, activity of the mind, will, character, that which breathes, that which possesses the breath of life. This is the same word that had been used in 1:20,21,24,30 which describes all sea, land, and air animals that possess breath. Thus, Rachel breathed her last breath and her body died while giving birth to this new son. However, in her last moments, she named her son ben-‘ônî (bane-o-nee’), which means “son of my sorrow”. But Israel quickly changed the name of his son and called him binyāmîn (bin-yaw-meen’) [or, Benjamin], which means “son of the right hand”, which indicates a place of honor and status. In fact, Jewish commentators note that this name indicates that Benjamin was Israel’s favorite son and that this is consistent with the favoritism shown to both of Rachel’s sons. And later on in our chronological journey, we will see that in a different time period, Psalm 110 will show a similar meaning for this idiom. Therefore, Israel refused to allow Benjamin to be blamed for the death of Rachel and have that horrible character trait follow him his entire life; instead, Israel celebrated the fact that even through death another life came into existence.

But was Benjamin to blame for Rachel’s death? No; in fact, Genesis 30:1 says, “when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she became jealous of her sister; and she said to Jacob, ‘Give me children, or else I die.’ ” And in 31:32, after Rachel stole Laban’s “gods”, Jacob had said to Laban, “The one with whom you find your gods shall not live”. Consequently, Rachel’s death was ironic because she did not die because she had no children; rather, she died while giving birth to a child. Further, Rachel’s death seems to be fulfillment of Jacob’s curse because Rachel had been guilty of stealing Laban’s “gods” and they were in her possession at the time of Jacob’s curse.

Therefore, 35:19 says, “Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).” So, Luz later becomes known as Bethel (35:6); likewise, Ephrath will later become known as Bethlehem. Because these minor and seemingly insignificant details will become important later on, we must notate them now so that we will remember them later on when these details arise again.

In 35:20, Jacob set up a pillar over Rachel’s grave, and then 35:21 says they all continued on their journey until Israel stopped and pitched his tent beyond מִגְדַּל־עֵדֶר [H4029] miḡdal-ʿēḏer (mig-dal’-ay’-der), which means “tower of the flock”, indicating that it was a shepherd’s watchtower near Ephrath (Bethlehem).

And then 35:22 seems to once again abruptly interrupt the narration and states, “It came about while Israel was dwelling in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it.” But why so abrupt? Why had evil infiltrated at this time? Why Reuben? Why Bilhah? Well, Dinah had recently been raped (34:2), Israel heard about that yet he failed to take action (34:5), and so Israel’s sons bypassed the authority of their father and took matters into their own hands, murdering all males of Hamor’s tribe, and looted the city (34:13-17,25-29). Further, Rachel had just died (35:18) and they were all traveling without knowing what to expect. Therefore, it is reasonable to believe that everyone had been overwhelmed by emotions and most likely filled with anxiety/stress. But the fact that Reuben had sexual relations with his father’s concubine showcases his lack of respect toward his father. Possession of the concubines that belonged to the head of the tribe was presumably a sign of leadership in the tribe. Typically, when the father died, the care and ownership of the concubines (as part of his property) passed to the next head of the tribe. But to seize ownership of the concubines prior to the father’s death would be understood as an act of subversion and disrespect (comparable to seizing land or herds), but would not be unusual if succession to tribe leadership were contested. In this context, Reuben’s offense against his father circumvented proper succession procedures and implies that his father was powerless. Regardless of motive, this act was not as abrupt as it may seem while reading the text; rather, this had been building up like a volcano ready to erupt ever since Israel failed to lead as a father when Dinah got raped.

Reuben was the firstborn and Bilhah had been Rachel’s maid. Therefore, it is likely that because Rachel was no longer around to watch over Bilhah and keep her held accountable, Bilhah seized the opportunity to pursue either pleasure or purpose for herself. But why Reuben? I believe it is reasonable to assume that because he was the firstborn, this was in some way an act of rebellion against Israel on Reuben’s part and a prideful expression of his own authority as the rightful heir and future leader of the tribe. And because Reuben was the oldest son, he would have been the one closest in age to Bilhah. Now, we cannot know for certain, but Bilhah could have chosen to have sexual relations with Reuben because she knew he was the firstborn; consequently, it’s possible that Bilhah had hopes of becoming the main woman/wife of the new future tribe. However, it’s also possible that there existed no ulterior motives other than the primal pursuit of pleasure at the expense of purpose and that they had both been merely led by lust. However, this was not only a great sin against Israel, but also against two of Reuben’s brothers because Bilhah was the mother of Dan and Naphtali (30:4-8). But 35:22 states that Israel heard about this great sin and yet Scripture does not state that Israel did anything about it. And so Israel not only failed to take action against the great sin against Dinah being raped, but now he fails to take action against this great sin of Reuben having sexual intercourse with Bilhah.

And because this great sin involves multiple people, 35:23-26 explains once again the relation between all children in Israel’s tribe. But due to the birth of Benjamin, this list is now updated and complete:

LEAH	ZILPAH	RACHEL	BILHAH
Reuben (01)	Gad (07)	Joseph (11)	Dan (05)
Simeon (02)	Asher (08)	Benjamin (12)	Naphtali (06)
Levi (03)
Judah (04)
Issachar (09)
Zebulun (10)
[Dinah]

In conclusion to this new drama, 35:27 says, “Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre [mam-ray’] of Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned.” Again, the minor details that seem insignificant should be noted. Mamre was a site near Hebron where Abraham had settled (13:18; 14:13; 18:1) and where Isaac also later lived. The land of Kiriath-arba will later be known as Hebron. So, this one chapter (chapter 35) identifies three locations while clarifying their updated/current names, which indicates the time period it was written – the author wrote at a later time and explained what happened in the past. Therefore, GOD brought Israel to Hebron, which connected him with Abraham and Isaac, highlighting the fact that through Israel the continuance of GOD’s ultimate plan will be fulfilled.

However, a minor detail in 35:27 also reveals yet another omittance of Rebekah. An examination of Scripture reveals that Rebekah was omitted in chapter 30 (14 years after Jacob had fled from Esau), and she was omitted in 31:18 (20 years after Jacob had fled from Esau). Moreover, in 35:8, Scripture mentions the death of Rebekah’s nurse (Deborah) and the weeping that happened due to her death, but no mention is made of Rebekah’s death or any weeping that happened due to her death. And finally, 35:27 only mentions Israel’s father, Isaac, but Rebekah is omitted. And because Rebekah was omitted from all accounts, I think it is reasonable to believe that not only had Rebekah died long ago, but Scripture does not honor her for some reason. But what reason would that be? Well, the last bit of information we knew about Rebekah is that she favored Jacob over Esau and convinced Jacob to deceive his father / her husband Isaac in order to steal the blessing that rightfully belonged to her firstborn, Esau. Consequently, Rebekah might have been omitted because she was not honored. However, Scripture is silent on the matter and so that thought must remain as mere conjecture.

In summary, the sons of Israel disrespected and dishonored their earthly father, but Israel desired to revere and honor his Father in Heaven. And despite the dysfunction within Israel’s family, GOD still chose the Israelites to be His chosen people by which He will accomplish His ultimate plan for His creation. This chapter highlights how life here on this earth can seem to be falling apart, while all the divine pieces in the spiritual realm are falling into place. Even though everything seemed to be going wrong, GOD was causing all things to work together for good, for those who love Him, for those who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

In Genesis 35:2, Israel commanded his family to get rid of their idols. Unless we, also, get rid of the idols in our lives, they can divert our focus and ruin our relationship with the Lord. Sadly, many people proclaim belief in GOD while at the same time showcasing loyalty to idols. Many people acknowledge GOD without living rightly for GOD. Is that you? Do you claim GOD while living a life of idolatry? An idol is anything that replaces the One true GOD in priority and position. Idolatry extends beyond the worship of idols and images and false gods. Our modern idols are many and varied. Even for those who do not physically bow before a statue, idolatry is a matter of the heart — pride, self-centeredness, greed, gluttony, a love for possessions and ultimately rebellion against GOD in any act of unfaithfulness. Are you placing anything or anyone above GOD in priority and/or position? Money? Pornography? Drugs? Alcohol? A sports team or player? A singer or musician? A social media platform? Who or what is receiving your devotion at the time when you should be devoted to the Lord and His Word? Are you merely acknowledging GOD but not living for GOD according to His will?
In 35:10, GOD reminded Israel of his new identity – he is someone who will not let go of the Lord until he is blessed; he is someone who holds onto the Lord while the Lord showcases His power on Israel’s behalf. Although everything seemed to be falling apart, GOD reminds Israel that with the Lord everything will fall into place. This was a reminder that Israel needed to keep his eyes on the Lord and obey His commands despite what things might look like in the flesh while in this physical world. Many people wrongly believe that Christianity should enable a life free from problems while only being blessed. As a negative consequence to this wrong belief, many people become disillusioned and abandon The Way and walk away from the Lord, disheartened and disappointed. Instead, we need to learn from Israel and become determined not to let go of the Lord until we receive the Lord’s blessing. However, we typically do not ever receive the Lord’s blessing until we endure the storms of life and prevail in holding on to the Lord. Problems and difficulties in this life here on this earth are inevitable and unavoidable; therefore, we might as well view them as opportunities for growth. After all, how can we prevail unless we have a problem to prevail over? If GOD says He is El Shaddai – GOD Almighty – and that nothing is too difficult for Him (18:14), do you believe Him or not? Who’s your daddy? Is He a good Father, or not (Psalm 103:13)?

Chronological Study (001/365)

January 1, 2024June 14, 2024Tagged Adam and Eve, atonement, Bible study, Breath of life, bruise, chronological, chronology, commentary, covet, covetousness, created, creation, Creator, crush, cursed, devil, discernment, dross, Elohim, evil, father, forbidden fruit, forgiven, forgiveness, G4416, Garden of Eden, Genesis, Genesis 1:1, Genesis 1:26, Genesis 2:22, Genesis 3:15, God, Godhead, H120, H430, H5315, H6763, H7779, helper, Holy Spirit, in His image, in the beginning, πρωτότοκος, Let Us, marriage, married, my body, my choice, my will be done, nephesh, nep̄hešh, Our image, Our likeness, paradise, prototokos, prōtotokos, purified, purity, revelation, sanctification, sanctified, sanctify, Satan, shuph, side, sin, Son, Strongs, tṣēlāʿ, teaching, the fall, the gospel, the serpent, the way, the Word, thy will be done, tree of life, tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Trinity, Triune, tsela, wickedness, you will be like god, šhûp̄h, ĕlōhîm, אֱלֹהִים, אָדָם, נֶפֶשׁ, צֵלָע, שׁוּףLeave a comment

Genesis 1:1 – 3:24

GOD Created

Referring to the invisible GOD Almighty, Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

But if that was the beginning, then how could a GOD exist to create? How can GOD exist before the beginning? Or did GOD come into existence at the same time “in the beginning”? And if a Creator created everything, then who created this Creator? To answer that, we need only to know if The Creator (GOD) would exist contingently because only contingent beings need a cause. The answer is that GOD must exist necessarily because GOD exists by necessity of GOD’s own nature. Things that exist necessarily exist by necessity of their own nature. An example could be abstract objects such as numbers. Many mathematicians would concur that numbers exist by necessity of their own nature. Some, however, would argue that numbers simply cannot exist if nothing exists; numbers can only come into existence once the first something comes into existence. Things that exist contingently are caused to exist by something else. For example, a painting exists because an artist created it. A globe that many teachers use in classrooms only exists because it was created. Earth is the same – it exists contingently. How do we know this? Almost all physicists and cosmologists agree that at some point in the finite past the universe began to exist. In other words, there was nothing — no time, space, matter or energy — and then there was something. It is logically possible that the entire universe did not have to exist. But it does exist. Why? The universe doesn’t exist necessarily; rather, it exists contingently. The universe didn’t create itself because nothing cannot become something unless a certain Something (or Someone) creates that something. Therefore, creation comes from either GOD or abstract objects; however, abstract objects do not create anything; therefore, GOD is The Creator. It is argued that GOD created the entire universe and all life – specifically humankind. The only adequate explanation of a contingent universe existing is that it was created by a non-contingent and supernatural Being. GOD exists necessarily. Who made GOD? That question is like asking “Who caused the ‘uncaused first cause’?” A “created GOD” is not even a coherent concept. However, supposing that the universe has always existed and energy is eternal and uncreated, of course no one created it. But if it is meaningless to ask, “Who created energy or the universe?” since it has always existed, then it is equally meaningless to ask “Who made GOD?” since GOD has always existed. If, however, energy and the universe is not eternal, it needs a Cause. On the other hand, if it has no beginning, it does not need a cause of its beginning. Likewise, if GOD had no beginning, it is absurd to ask, “Who made GOD?” It is simply a category mistake to ask, “Who made the Unmade?” or “Who created the Uncreated?” However, the vast majority of physicists and cosmologists agree that at some point in the finite past, the universe did have a beginning. If the universe had a beginning, the universe exists contingently; therefore, the universe was created; GOD is the Creator and GOD exists necessarily. In conclusion, GOD was not created, GOD simply is. GOD is the uncaused, beginningless, changeless, immaterial, timeless, spaceless, enormously powerful cause of the universe and is also a free agent who is not a mere abstract object. All minds can only come from a Mind. Life can only come from life. Creation comes from a Creator. Therefore, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

Was GOD Lonely?

Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

But what was GOD doing before He created? Did He merely exist in boredom, surrounded by void? Was He isolated and lonely?

In John 17:24, Jesus says in a prayer for His disciples, “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.”

The Trinity of the Father, Son, and Spirit have always had relationship and union. 1John 4:8,16 informs us that “GOD is love.” And because love requires a beloved and a Spirit of love between the One who loves and the One who receives love, GOD is unable to be lonely. This illustration has the advantage of being personal, since it involves love, a characteristic that flows only from persons. And this three-in-one is even depicted and praised in the act of marriage. In marriage, the two become one with the spirit of love (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:5; 1Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 5:31). So, 1 male + 1 female + 1 spirit of love = 1 marriage, which is 1 unity. [see Genesis 2:22-24]

Referring to Jesus Christ (the Son), Colossians 1:16-17 says, “¹⁶For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. ¹⁷He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”
But if Genesis 1:1 states that GOD created the heavens and the earth, then Jesus is GOD even though Jesus is the Son. Therefore, the very first verse of the Bible contains Christ even though Christ has not yet been revealed in the Biblical story.

Genesis 1:2 says, “The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.”

Genesis 1:3-5 says, “³Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. ⁴God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. ⁵God called the light day, and the darkness He called night.”

John 1:1-5 says, “¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²He was in the beginning with God. ³All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. ⁴In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. ⁵The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”

The phrase “in the beginning” brings us back to Genesis 1:1 and the “Word” is what is written in Genesis 1:3 when “God said” and then creation was formed through the Word. John makes it clear that the “Word” and “God” are distinct from each other yet at the same time the “Word was God.” The “Word” is Jesus (the Son) and “God” is the Father. The Son and the Father are distinct yet they are One.

John 3:19-21 says, “¹⁹This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. ²⁰For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. ²¹But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”

In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

John 8:12 says, “Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.’ ”

John 9:5 says, “While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.”

John 11:9-10 says, “⁹Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. ¹⁰But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”

John 12:35-36 says, “³⁵So Jesus said to them, ‘For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. ³⁶While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light.’ ”

John 12:46 says, “I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness.”

Colossians 1:13-14 says, “¹³For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, ¹⁴in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

So, Jesus was the Light of the world while He was in the world, but because Jesus ascended to Heaven after His resurrection, He gave authority to His children. Matthew 5:14-16 says, “¹⁴“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; ¹⁵nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

Revelation 21:23-25 says, “²³And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. ²⁴The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. ²⁵In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed;”

Genesis 1:14 says, “Then God said, ‘Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years”

Genesis 15:5-6 says, “⁵And [GOD] took [Abraham] outside and said, ‘Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.’ And He said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.’ ⁶Then he believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.”

In Matthew 2:2, the magi from the east said, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”

Matthew 2:9-11 says, “⁹After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. ¹⁰When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. ¹¹After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him.”

Matthew 24:29-30 says, “²⁹“But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ³⁰And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky…” [see also, Joel 3:15; Isaiah 13:10; Revelation 6:12-17]

Therefore, Genesis informs us that GOD made stars and they would serve as signs. The stars also represented the seed of Abraham being fruitful, from which Jesus eventually came. A specific cosmic sighting expressed as being a star led the wise men to Jesus. And in the end, the stars will again serve as a sign of Christ’s second coming when they fall from the sky and shine no more. And so yet again, Christ is in the beginning, which is Genesis.

What have you noticed about creation that calls attention to GOD’s design? Is there anything specific that has the signature of GOD?

Image of GOD

Genesis 1:26-28 says, “²⁶Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” ²⁷God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. ²⁸God blessed them; and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’ ”

Us? Our image? Our likeness? Why the plural form? The plural pronoun “us” is simply required by the plural Hebrew noun אֱלֹהִים [H430] ‘ĕlōhîm (el-o-heem’), which is translated “God.” The plural nature of the Hebrew word is designed to give a fuller, more majestic sense to GOD’s name. “Us” portrays GOD deliberating in the midst of His court just as a king might have a court and discuss his plans among them (2Kings 22; Job1-2; Psalm 82; Isaiah 6). But “Our” cannot be so easily explained in the context of the ancient world. No evidence exists for the creation of people in both the image of GOD and the image of His angels. So, is it a coincidence that the plural Hebrew noun translates to “us” and “our”? It seems more likely that this implies a greater complexity to GOD’s nature and is a reference to the Trinity (Father, Son, Spirit). But should it truly surprise us that GOD’s greatness cannot be fathomed? It is written in Isaiah 55:8-9, “⁸‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,’ declares the Lord. ⁹‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.’ ” And though the special divine revelation of the Trinity is not fully developed in the Old Testament, it is definitely foreshadowed (Psalm 110:1; Proverbs 30:4; Isaiah 63:7-10). Now examine: Genesis 1:1 describes the Father, Genesis 1:2 describes the Spirit, and Genesis 1:3 describes the Word (who is the Son). That’s the Trinity in the first three verses of the Bible. Yet we are created in “His” image? Whose image? In the image of the invisible GOD? No, but yes. We were created in the image of Jesus (the Son). From the beginning, humans were designed according to the design of Jesus’s body. We were modeled after Jesus. Daniel 3:1 describes the statue of Nebuchadnezzar with the same Hebrew term for image. Thus, “image” and “likeness” and synonymous. But even the use of Elohim is an incomplete picture of GOD. In Hebrew thought, a name was not just a way of identifying a person; it was a way of revealing his/her very identity and essence. It is the same with the names of GOD, but in Scripture, GOD’s identity is expressed not just in one name but in multiple different names, each one describing something new we need to learn and know about GOD. Each name of GOD is like a curtain covering a window. When the curtain is drawn back, the name becomes more fully known and glimpses of GOD can be seen. Elohim is the most common of the names used within Scripture, but there are many names associated with GOD because GOD’s greatness cannot be described by only one name.

Colossians 1:15 says, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.”

Jesus (the Son) is the image of the invisible Father, and humans were created in His image. The word “firstborn” is an English translation of the Greek word πρωτότοκος [G4416] prōtotokos (pro-tot’-ahk-ahs), which references Jesus’s preeminence over all and superiority in position. Even Israel had been referred to as GOD’s firstborn (Exodus 4:22; Deuteronomy 21:16-17). Paul depicts Christ in terms similar to the presentation of the person of “Wisdom” in Proverbs 8:25-31 in that when everything was established, “I was there.” Wisdom was always present; likewise, Jesus was always present. In later Jewish wisdom literature, personified divine wisdom is described as the image of GOD. So, it would be a grave mistake to think in purely physical terms here, as if Paul were asserting that the Father existed before the Son and that the Son had a physical origin or was somehow created (the classic Arian heresy) rather than existing eternally as the Son, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, in the Godhead. What Paul had in mind was the rights and privileges of a firstborn son— especially the son of a monarch who would inherit ruling sovereignty. This is how the expression is used of David in Psalm 89:27: “I also shall make him My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.” So, not only are we created in Jesus’s image by physical appearance of the human body GOD designed, but we are also created in His image because we are supposed to be a reflection of GOD’s glory and character in our capacity for reason, creativity, humor, joy, speech, and free will for love and all its characteristics. As the image and likeness of GOD, humans were granted authority over earth, but that rulership only equates to stewardship because as it is written in Psalm 24:1, “The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it.” But even though we were supposed to be children of GOD who reigned over creation as fruitful males and females (Genesis 1:28), Paul would later write in Romans 1:22-32 that the opposite happened due to the Fall:
“²²Professing to be wise, they became fools, ²³and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. ²⁴Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. ²⁵For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. ²⁶For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, ²⁷and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. ²⁸And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, ²⁹being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, ³⁰slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, ³¹without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; ³²and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.”

But how did that happen? It happened due to the Fall (which will soon be discussed). Before the Fall, however, in Genesis 1:31, “God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good.” The creation is good because GOD the Creator is good (Psalms 34:8; 100:5; Jeremiah 33:11; Nahum 1:7; 1Peter 2:3). And because we were created in His image and likeness, we were designed for the very purpose of being good and doing good.

How many attributes of GOD can you think of that are good? How many of those good attributes do you accurately reflect for all mankind to see so that they might see your goodness and glorify GOD who is in Heaven?
If every human being is created in the image of GOD, how should you treat every human being you encounter? Do you meet that requirement? If not, what can you do to meet that requirement?

Breath of Life; Living Being

Genesis 2:7 says, “Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”

The Hebrew אָדָם [H120] ‘āḏām (aw-dahm’) for “man” sounds like the Hebrew אֲדָמָה [H127] ‘ăḏāmâ (ad-aw-maw’) for “ground” in order to highlight the fact that human beings truly are nothing special without GOD’s breath of life. GOD spoke everything else into existence (Genesis 1:3,6,9,11,14,20,24), but He was intimate and personal when He created us in His image (1:26-27)! We were shaped and formed! Though the most common English translation of the Hebrew עָפָר [H6083] ʿāp̄hār (aw-fawr’) is “dust”, it may also be translated as dry earth, loose earth, ground, or even clay. And this would make sense because the Lord is the Potter and we are the clay (Isaiah 29:16; 64:8; Jeremiah 18:6; Lamentations 4:2; Zechariah 11:13; Romans 9:20-21). And then we received the Breath of Life! When it is written that man became a “living being”, that is the Hebrew נֶפֶשׁ [H5315] nep̄hešh (neh’-fesh), which means soul, self, life, that which breathes, that which possesses the breath, the inner being of a person, mind, living being, creature, desire, emotion, passion, or activity of the mind, will, or character. This is the same word used in Genesis 1:20,21,24,30 which describes all sea, land, and air animals that possess breath. And so the breath of GOD is what gives the creature its value. Humans have value; however, what is the value of the chemical elements that make up our bodies? If humans are without souls, what would the body be worth based on the material value? We were formed from the ground. Without the Breath of Life, the body is a mere shell. Scripture calls our bodies vessels and holy temples (John 2:21; Romans 9:21; 1Corinthians 6:19-20; 2Corinthians 4:7; 1Thessalonians 4:4; 2Timothy 2:20-21; Revelation 2:27). The substance is dependent upon its Source. GOD spoke to the source to create the substance. Without the source, the substance dies. Water is the source of fish; if you take a fish out of water, it will die. If you pull the vegetation out of the ground, it will die. If you separate a human body from the Breath of Life, the body will die. Is death an instantaneous response to the separation? No. The death happens slowly. Does a flower automatically die once you pluck it from the ground? No, it slowly withers to nothing. A human without GOD is like a fish out of water or a flower plucked from the ground. GOD spoke to the source to create the substance! But GOD spoke to Himself when He created humans! Nothing else was created by GOD speaking to Himself. Only humans. But GOD is The Source of everything (Deuteronomy 8:3; Psalm 42:1-3; Matthew 4:4; 5:6; Luke 4:4; John 4:10-14; 6:35,41,48,51; 7:37-38; Revelation 7:17)!

So, are you seeking the Source? David – a man after GOD’s own heart (1Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22) – would later seek the Source while writing Psalm 8:3-9, declaring, “³When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained; ⁴What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? ⁵Yet You have made him a little lower than God, And You crown him with glory and majesty! ⁶You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, ⁷All sheep and oxen, And also the beasts of the field, ⁸The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, Whatever passes through the paths of the seas. ⁹O Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth!”

Genesis 2:15 says, “Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.”

This is the rulership that becomes stewardship. GOD appointed Adam to be over the garden. Similar verbs describe the later role of the priests and Levites in the tabernacle and temple (Numbers 3:7-8; 8:26). These verbs, however, can also be translated as “serve” and “guard”. So, the man (Adam) was appointed a priestly role to protect the garden sanctuary.

You are a living being because you possess GOD’s breath of life within you. How long can you hold your breath? How long can you claim you don’t need GOD? After holding your breath for as long as you can, what adjectives can you use to describe the gift of breathing?

How does Adam’s priestly role over the Garden of Eden relate to your life? What has GOD allowed you to rule over? Are you being a good steward of what GOD has allowed you to rule over? If so, what are the ways you believe you are a good steward? If not, what do you need to start doing to be a better steward of all that GOD has given you?

The Woman

Genesis 2:18-20 says, “¹⁸Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.” ¹⁹Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. ²⁰The man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him.”

This is the first occurrence we see of GOD’s great gift of free will granted to man. Whatever Adam chose to call the animals, GOD permitted Adam’s freedom of choice. Why? Because GOD was setting Adam up for an even greater decision he would soon need to make regarding his compatibility with the animals. GOD first showed all the animals to Adam so that he could realize on his own that animals are not suitable for being a sexual partner and life helper. That’s simply not the design. Animals are not equal to humans in value.

Leviticus 18:22-23 says, “²²You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination. ²³Also you shall not have intercourse with any animal to be defiled with it, nor shall any woman stand before an animal to mate with it; it is a perversion.” [see also, Exodus 22:19; Leviticus 20:10-22; Deuteronomy 27:21]

Genesis 2:22-24 says, “²²The Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. ²³The man said, ‘This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.’ ²⁴For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.”

Therefore, one male and one female for one lifetime is GOD’s design because GOD made female for male and presented her to him as a gift. Marriage was GOD’s idea. For this reason, no relationship other than what GOD designed and approved of can ever be called a marriage. GOD used Adam’s “rib” to form Eve in order to show that they were actually the same created being, two halves of a whole — two become one (Matthew 19:5; Mark 10:8; 1Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 5:31). The female was not created as a separate being, second to the male. She was formed as part of the initial man, as the continuation of the creation, in order to be a suitable helper for the male, being compatible, complementary, and complete just as the North Pole and South Pole are both necessary for the whole earth to be complete as one. And because the two are one, if a man hates, hits, or hurts the woman, he hates, hits, and hurts himself. In fact, man was incomplete without woman; likewise, woman is incomplete without man. Relationship is essential to purpose. Adam lost a “rib”, but what he gained was more valuable than what he lost. Everything of value is worth the sacrifice that is required to obtain that something of value. But why did GOD use Adam’s “rib”? The Hebrew word for “rib” is צֵלָע [H6763] tṣēlāʿ (tsay-law) and always means “side” where it occurs elsewhere in Scripture. Marriage, therefore, is a natural relationship of the side reuniting with the man missing his side. The puzzle is not complete without the missing piece. Eve came from Adam’s side. In other words, Eve is the other half of Adam. This would explain why Adam exclaimed that Eve was bone from his bone and flesh from his flesh. This also explains why he calls her woman — she was taken from man. And because bone refers to strength and flesh refers to weakness, Adam’s declaration of his delight of the woman would be equivalent to a modern marriage vow: “In strength and weakness, whether good or bad, health or sickness, we are one!” When GOD created Eve from Adam’s side, He accomplished the act in such a way that showed the woman was to complement and complete man in the integral union of marriage. Woman was created to be “beside” man, not beneath him nor above him. Side by side. Equal. And this would explain why there is neither male nor female, that all are one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28). Adam sacrificed some of himself in order to have Eve as a partner in life. Ponder on that. Some people won’t donate any part of their bodies – not even to save a life – but Adam made the sacrifice of his side just to have Eve by his side and abolish loneliness from his life. He was thankful that he was able to make a sacrifice in order to abolish loneliness. What sacrifices are you willing to make in order to abolish loneliness from your life? Talk to people? Actually give someone a chance? Decide not to be judgmental about the way they look and instead make a decision to get to know that person’s character and personality? You may not need to have your side surgically removed, but you will have to give up something spiritually in order to gain something spiritual. If you think about it, all that you’re really giving up is the loneliness itself and trading it in for the joy of fellowship or relationship. And though Eve became the female human “helper” for Adam, all females are only capable of help according to the limits of being a finite and fallible human. Scripture informs us that ultimately, the Lord is our Helper (Psalm 33:20; 70:5; 115:11; 121:2) and He will help us return to the original design of relationship with Him while having joy, peace, security, and fulfillment of purpose on the New Earth under the new heavens (Revelation 21-22).

If you are a male, do you have a wife? If you are a female, do you have a husband? If so, when was the last time you thanked GOD for your helper?
When was the last time you thanked your spouse for being your helper?
What sacrifices are you willing to make for your marriage?
When was the last time you both prayed, praised, and/or worshiped GOD together as one?

Two Different Creation Accounts?

Some critics have argued that Genesis 1 & 2 are two different creation accounts that contradict each other. But is that true? No. The truth is that they are the same exact creation story from two different perspectives. Together, the two chapters provide a harmonious and more complete picture of the creation events. Different perspectives of the same creation story do not contradict each other, but complement each other:

GENESIS 1	GENESIS 2
Overview of Creation	Focus on Relation
Describes GOD as Creator	Communicator / Covenant-Maker
Chronological order	Topical order
Outline	Details
Creating animals	Naming animals
Regal character of humans	Emphasizes priestly status

All throughout our chronological journey, you will see how the Bible often starts with an overview and then zooms in to explain details.

The Serpent’s Slippery Slope

Genesis 3:1 [a] says, “Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made.”

Is Satan the serpent? Yes; he is also known as the dragon and the devil.

2Corinthians 11:3 says, “But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.”

2Corinthians 11:14 says, “No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.”

Revelation 12:9; says, “And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.”

Revelation 20:2. says, “And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;”

Satan is described as being crafty, cunning, calculating, and indirectly deceiving. The word “crafty” is an English translation of the Hebrew word עָרוּם [H6175] ʿārûm (aw-room’), which means shrewd, crafty, wise, sensible, or prudent. Now, it’s important to realize that this is a good quality to possess. In fact, the same word is used in Proverbs 14:15, saying, “The naive believes everything, But the sensible man considers his steps.” Unfortunately, neither Eve nor Adam would be sensible enough to consider their steps and would soon be naïve enough to believe the serpent who would use a good quality in order to do evil and achieve an evil end.

Genesis 3:1 [b] continues, “And he said to the woman, ‘Indeed, has God said, “You shall not eat from any tree of the garden”?’ ”

Satan didn’t approach Adam directly; the serpent’s tactic was to slither in from the side in Adam’s blind spot. If Satan can’t get to you directly, he’ll go after all you love (see the book of Job). Just as Satan went after the wife (Eve) because he wasn’t able to get to the husband (Adam), Satan is after “the wife”/Bride of Christ/Church because he wasn’t able to get to “the husband”/Bridegroom/Jesus (Ephesians 5:22-33; 2Corinthians 11:2; Matthew 9:15; Mark 2:19-20; Luke 5:34-35; John 3:29; Revelation 19:7-9; 21:1-2; 22:17). Why did the serpent target Eve rather than Adam? Is it because females are inferior to males? No. Genesis 2:15-17 informs us that GOD had personally commanded and warned Adam about the forbidden fruit and then put him in charge of cultivating, keeping, and guarding the garden. It seems the serpent was confident that he would be able to trick Eve directly, but only be able to trick Adam indirectly through Eve because Adam already trusted Eve.

Genesis 3:2-6 says, “²The woman said to the serpent, ‘From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; ³but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’” ⁴The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! ⁵For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” ⁶When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.”

At first, Eve responded by repeating what GOD had said. Whether she heard the command and warning directly from GOD, we do not know, but she did possess knowledge of what GOD had said. If it had been Adam’s responsibility to tell Eve, then it is possible that she only knew because Adam told her. Noteworthy is the fact that Eve omitted the name of the tree (the knowledge of good and evil), which contains the rationale for not eating from it. So, did she know its name or had Adam simply told her about the tree in the center? Eve also added in a command that they shouldn’t even touch the fruit, which was not recorded in chapter 2. So, did GOD command not to even touch it or is that what Adam had told her? Regardless, the serpent’s first approach was to put GOD’s Word into question, but when the serpent realized she knew what GOD had said, his next tactic was to attack the true meaning of GOD’s words. This is what happens when we have GOD’s Word as head knowledge only without it being deeply rooted in our hearts. The serpent built off the foundation of what Eve knew and then used what she did not know in order to reinterpret GOD’s words to mean what GOD had never meant to say. Satan denied the consequence of sin and glorified its reward. If you’re going to lean on GOD’s Word, then Satan will try to use any area of ignorance about GOD’s Word in order to fill in the gaps with lies so that he can redirect you away from the straight path (Proverbs 4:20-27). Later on, Satan attempts to use this same tactic with Jesus while He is fasting in the wilderness, but Satan fails miserably because he tries to argue the Word with the One who is the Word (Matthew 4:1-11; John 1:1). And with the twisting of GOD’s words, the serpent presented to Eve a temptation to become her own god. All the serpent had to do was convince Eve that what she believed to be bad was not actually bad, but good that was being withheld from her by a deceiving dictator who wanted to prevent her from reaching her full potential. Have you ever heard a child say to a parent, “You just don’t want me to be happy!” or, “You never let me have any fun!”?

The serpent convinced Eve that she deserved better and that he wanted what was best for her. Sadly, even though we have GOD’s Word we can study, in 2024, there are deceived people who are claiming that Satan is actually the “good guy” and that GOD is the true villain because GOD wants to enslave us and withhold pleasure from us while Satan is trying to set us free so we can be happy without unjust restrictions. Ironically, both Adam and Eve were created in the image of GOD and were created to be like GOD, yet the serpent convinced Eve that she didn’t need GOD but needed to become her own god. Consequently, the tree became a “delight” to her eyes. That word translated as “delight” is the Hebrew תַּאֲוָה [H8378] ta’ăvâ (tah-ah-vaw’), which is a strong desire, a longing for something, or even a lustful appetite. This same word is used in Numbers 11:4 to describe the “greedy desires” of the Israelites who complained to GOD that they wanted what they did not have. When it says that “the tree was desirable”, the word translated as “desirable” is the Hebrew חָמַד [H2530] ḥāmaḏ (khaw-mad’), which means to covet. The same form appears in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:17; Deuteronomy 5:21) where GOD forbids the Israelites from lusting after what does not belong to them. Eve desired to possess what was not hers to possess.

The devil is the deceiver and original liar (John 8:44; 2Corinthians 11:14; Revelation 12:9). We know that’s what GOD’s Word says. But do we truly believe it? To know what is written is mere intellectual assent, but to trust in GOD’s Word is the faith GOD desires. To question GOD’s commands is to question His love for us. To question GOD is to put GOD on trial and accuse him of wrongdoing; in fact, the adversary is the accuser who desires to put GOD on trial (see the book of Job).

Satan told a “white lie” (half truth) when he told Adam and Eve they would not die. There is a difference between the physical death and spiritual death. Adam and Eve immediately died spiritually; however, their physical deaths didn’t come until much later. Just as a flower slowly withers and dies after being plucked out from the ground, Adam and Eve were plucked out from the Garden and so began to slowly wither and die. And because of this spiritual death, Satan is known as the father of all lies and a murderer from the beginning. When the conniving counterfeiter conjured up his plan to ruin a blissful and content life for Adam and Eve, he did it with intentions of ruining life for their children as well. Satan knew what he was doing — he is crafty, remember? Never underestimate the enemy. Satan will use the truth against us, but embellishing the truth, building his clever lies on the foundation of truth in order to persuade us to do or not do something. Think of the classic fairy tale, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The evil Queen convinced Snow White to eat the poisonous apple in order to kill her. Snow White only saw the outer truth which was the apple, but she did not see the inner truth of the poison. And so she died. Eventually, Snow White had a prince come to her rescue and save her through true love, taking her out of death’s hands. We also had a Prince that saved us and took us out of death’s hands because He saved us through true love – Christ Jesus (Isaiah 9:6; John 3:16-17; 1Corinthians 15:51-58).

Another example to consider is the seaweed decorator crab — it places objects on itself in order to disguise itself. Like the crab, the conniving counterfeiter also disguises himself (2Corinthians 11:14). The seaweed decorator crab is the truth – it is what it is. But then it places different sets of truths on itself so that you only see those particular truths and can no longer see the truth of the crab. When the crab disguises itself in this manner, it makes it easier to catch prey. Likewise, Satan is the same. For this reason, it is written in 1Peter 5:8 that “Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Satan distracts us with surface truth sometimes so that we may be easier prey. I call Satan “The Salesman” because he always tries to sell us on different sets of surface truths by highlighting the good about them without mentioning the bad in order to persuade us to take him up on his offer. You have a choice to make: Deal or no deal. But in the skillful art of negotiation, the key is knowing when to walk away. In fact, GOD will always provide for us an escape or way out if we are seeking Him and His will. For this reason, Paul wrote in 1Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” For this reason, 1Peter 5:9 continues with a solution to the problem: “But resist him, firm in your faith.” If Satan is the Salesman, then you must be the negotiator who seeks his/her Consultant (Holy Spirit) prior to making a damning deal. It’s important to realize that the Salesman will often present two options as if they are your only two choices. This is the fallacy of false dilemma. Satan essentially presented Eve’s situation to her in this way: “Well, you could either not eat that fruit and forever be devoid of complete joy and never know your full potential or you could eat that fruit and be like GOD, know your full potential, and possess complete joy. Listen, GOD simply doesn’t want you to be like Him. But you don’t have to be like Him. You can be you, but the best version of yourself, living out your full potential.” However convincing that false dilemma may sound, there is definitely a third choice that could have been made! Eve could have responded by saying, “Or I can trust in GOD’s goodness, believe He wants what is best for me, and be content with all that I have already been given. Why do I need more when I’m already happy? GOD has given me a great variety of fruit to eat from this entire garden. So, if He says I should stay away from that one, then I’ll trust Him.”

Satan’s reasoning was as if he presented a prize to Eve. The goal was to get Eve to doubt GOD’s goodness and then convince Eve that she no longer needed GOD because she could become her own god. This is an attack on identity. This is the original sin – pride. Satan also got Eve to redirect her focus from what she did have to what she did not have. And then the tree in the center became her center focus. Eve then harped on what she believed was being withheld from her and she became self-entitled, believing she deserved what was forbidden [even though it was forbidden for her own protection]. Genesis 3:6 informs us that Eve was convinced — she had been convinced that she could not be content with what she had and that she needed more. The battle was lost in the mind. The best use of free will is not in doing everything we want to do but in the discipline of choosing to act in faithful obedience because we know what not to do. For this reason, Paul said that all things were lawful for him, but but not all things were profitable or edifying, and so he refused to be mastered by anything (1Corinthians 6:12; 10:23). When GOD told Adam and Eve what not to do, it was for their own good. Whenever GOD tells us not to do something, it’s not because GOD loves controlling us and enjoys withholding something good from us. No, it’s because GOD loves us and is giving us inside information, or helpful hints. When GOD gives us a list of what not to do (like the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:1-17), He is essentially giving us a cheat sheet of correct answers so we can pass the test easier. That is an act of love! But take notice of Eve’s process: she listened to Satan, received his words, allowed Satan’s words to have more authenticity and authority than GOD’s Word, she looked where Satan instructed her to look, desired what Satan promised, justified wrongdoing, took action, and then passed the sin along because she didn’t feel any immediate consequences. The battle is often lost as soon as a person concedes to the process of the slippery slope. Perhaps that is why Jesus told us that even a lustful look equates to adultery in the heart (Matthew 5:28) and the heart is where evil starts (Matthew 15:19). Sin is contagious and spreads like a virus (Matthew 13:24-30,36-43). Therefore, we need discernment to recognize Satan’s snares so that we will not even allow the process of the slippery slope to begin.

Sin gets accepted when it arrives in disguise under the notion of it either being able to bring us happiness or it being “progress.” But is it all truly progress? For what ultimate goal is this progress made? We are always making progress; we are always getting closer to a goal. But in which direction are we traveling? It is possible to travel with good intentions and still end up going in the wrong direction. Are we getting closer to praise or discipline? Every single step we take brings us closer to either Heaven or Hell. Humans have a long history of justifying their wrongdoings. Do any of the following sound familiar to you?
“It’s just a little bit…”;
“It’s only…”;
“Just for a little while…”;
“It’s not like I’m doing…”;
“At least I’m not doing…”;
“It’s not like it’s going to kill me.”;
“Well, it makes me happy, so…”;
“It feels good, so…”;
“Everyone does it.”;
“If it doesn’t hurt anybody else, it’s all right.”;
“If it feels okay, it must be.”;
“It’s not that bad.”;
“I’m just going to do it one more time…”;
“I deserve to be happy.”;
“My will be done.”
These subtle entreaties make Satan to be the salesman, the cunning counterfeiter, the master manipulator, the devil who deceives. For this reason, it is written in John 10:10 that “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.”

How well do you know GOD’s Word?
Where do the gaps exist in your knowledge of GOD’s Word where Satan could fill in those gaps with surface truths that will ultimately lead to living out a deadly lie?
Where are you at in the process of the slippery slope?
If you have a spouse, is there anything your spouse does and/or wants you to do that is leading you away from GOD’s will? If so, how can you address this with your spouse in order to come back into alignment with GOD’s will?
How many counterfeits has Satan the salesman sold to you? What were they? Why were you fooled by them? What can you do to ensure it won’t happen again?
If you’re focusing on what you do not have, what can you do to shift your focus so that you can be grateful and content for all that you do have?
How many excuses are you making while trying to justify wrongdoing?
If you have justified your sin, have you passed the sin along to others? If so, who? And what can you say to that person now that you realize the wrong you’ve done?

The Fall

Genesis 3:7-13 says, ‘⁷Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings. ⁸They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. ⁹Then the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, ‘Where are you?’ ¹⁰He said, ‘I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.’ ¹¹And He said, ‘Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?’ ¹²The man said, ‘The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.’ ¹³Then the Lord God said to the woman, ‘What is this you have done?’ And the woman said, ‘The serpent deceived me, and I ate.’ ”

This section showcases GOD as the Good Father who is patient and loving. GOD is the One who sought them out; it was the Lord who came looking for them. So, are we all truly so different from Adam and Eve? Ultimately, Jesus seeks every single one of us out, leaving the 99 just to come get the one (Luke 15:3-6; 19:10). While it’s true that GOD sought them out in order to discipline and correct them, He also sought them out for the purpose of restoring their relationship with each other and their relationship with Him. The first disconnect and loss was when Adam and Eve felt shame at their nakedness. Why would they cover themselves simply because they discovered they were naked? Why would that matter? Adam and Eve already knew each other and had previously seen each other naked on many occasions. So, why would the fact that they were naked disturb them now? Apparently, out of their innocence, they had been ignorant of the concept of being naked because GOD asked them how they knew they were naked, implying that they should not have known they were naked. Like young innocent toddlers who don’t yet realize the concept of nakedness, Adam and Eve had not realized the concept of nakedness because they had been without the knowledge of evil. I personally believe they had not had sexual relations prior to the Fall. Not only is their sexual relation not documented until Genesis 4:1 (after the fall), but in Matthew 22:30, Jesus said, “For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.” But if our future resurrection and life on the New Earth is the restoration of the original Garden design, why did GOD design for Adam and Eve to be married if there will not be marriage in the future? Because from His omniscience, He knew they were going to sin, that He would have to banish them from the Garden of Eden, that they would need to be fruitful and multiply, and that a future Seed would bring eternal restoration. This would explain why they both covered their reproductive parts immediately after their eyes had been opened. Most likely, it was the first time they felt the power of the lust of the flesh. It might have even been the first time Eve witnessed Adam with an erection. The concept of clothing had not yet been invented — clothing didn’t exist until GOD created it from animal skins (Genesis 3:21) — but Adam and Eve attempted to create covering from leaves. By covering themselves, they uncovered their sin and also revealed that they no longer believed they were good enough. And that is exactly what Satan desired to accomplish; Satan wanted them to disobey GOD and believe they weren’t good enough for GOD’s love. But what caused Adam and Eve to believe they weren’t good enough? This is the second disconnect and loss. Sin has a domino effect. Did Adam and Eve suddenly become self-conscious and perceive each other’s glances as negative spotlights that highlighted insecurities? A newfound awareness of nakedness would create many questions. What was the cause of this insecurity they felt? Perhaps the sudden rushing wave of emotions created confusion and uncertainty. It was all so new to them and they most likely felt overwhelmed and simply didn’t know how to respond. But the one thing that is certain is that both Adam and Eve suddenly felt as if they needed to hide themselves from each other. Satan created a divide between Adam and Eve. In addition, they both felt as if they weren’t good enough for GOD’s love and that they needed to cover up their guilt, confusion, and insecurities. They hid themselves from each other and then they attempted to hide from GOD.

The dominoes keep falling. The third disconnect and loss was when they experienced fear and attempted to hide from the Lord when they heard Him walking. But how could they hear Him walking if GOD is Spirit and invisible? Again, the Son is the physical exact representation of the Father. For this reason, Jesus said in John 14:9, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.”

But why would Adam and Eve have experienced fear? Again, guilt was a new concept to them and it probably created confusion. Due to the uncertainty and new insecurities, they panicked and also desired to hide from GOD. Prior to this moment, they only knew GOD to be perfect, Holy, and just. How would a Holy GOD respond to their disobedience and the consequences that came from their choices? It’s easy for us to look back in time and look down on them in their situation and wonder how they could have been so ridiculous as to believe they could hide from GOD, but everything was new to them. Think about it: both Adam and Eve had to learn how to be human by themselves. We have had others to teach us and show us by example, but they were without that benefit. The entire concept of evil was new to them. Plus, we have all attempted to hide our sins in one way or another, haven’t we? If you’re honest, you’ll confess that you have. How many sins have you hoped to get away with in your lifetime? How many sins have you committed in “secret”? But are your sins truly veiled in secrecy? Isn’t GOD omniscient?

If GOD is omniscient, why did He inquire of Adam’s location? Well, when GOD asks us questions, it is not because He does not know the answer, it is for our benefit so that we may seek the answer (Mark 10:18). And even though Adam and Eve desired to hide from GOD, these verses reveal GOD’s desire to have a relationship with us — He made the effort to seek them even when they were making an effort to hide. Hide and Seek is a popular game children play. Think about this: it’s not fun to go hide unless you are eventually found. If you remain in hiding for too long, you will soon feel forgotten and/or get tired of hiding and come out of your hiding place. If the seeker decides not to seek, then how could the one hiding ever be found? Some people are hiding in their shame; however, some people are lost and don’t even realize they’re in danger and need to be found. But GOD is the loving Father and Seeker of souls who actively looks out for the lost (Luke 15:20,24; 19:10).

Everyone who has a guilty conscience is without excuse (Romans 1:19-20; James 4:17). A guilty conscience is a warning signal GOD installed within us to let us know when we have violated the absolute moral standard. The “no regrets” lifestyle will be the biggest regret of your life. We are designed to learn from our mistakes. Some regrets are good to have because they keep us humble and help us grow. And this is why Adam confessed to GOD that he was somewhere he wasn’t supposed to be (hiding in fear among the trees). But we all need to answer the question GOD asked Adam: “Where are you?” So, are you in hiding? Are you lost? Where are you? Are you where you are supposed to be? If not, why are you there? GOD does not launch a monologue-missile toward you with intentions of destroying His target; rather, He asks questions and listens carefully, hoping for a dialogue that will lead to genuine relationship. He wants to hear you confess your wrongdoings and then learn from your mistakes so that you can become the person He designed and purposed you to be. For this reason, Paul wrote in 1Thessalonians 4:3, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification.” Therefore, it is GOD’s will that we go through a purification process so that we will end up being Holy vessels fit for the Kingdom (Proverbs 17:3; 25:4; 2Timothy 2:20-21; 1Peter 1:6-7). In Romans 6:19, Paul explains that we must die to our flesh and sin, continue practicing righteousness, and that practicing righteousness will result in our sanctification.

Examine closely the questions GOD asked Adam. Where are you at in life right now? How did you get there? Whose words were you listening to? Did you act on those words or My words? When confronted with sin, how do you respond? At first, Adam refused to take responsibility for his action and he blamed Eve. After blaming Eve, he even blamed GOD for giving Eve to him. However, after blaming Eve and GOD, he confessed that he did eat the forbidden fruit. How do you think that made Eve feel toward Adam? How did that affect their relationship? How would you feel if your spouse shifted the blame onto you in front of GOD – even if it was your fault? Would you feel betrayed and hurt? And even though Eve confessed to eating the forbidden fruit, she also refused to take responsibility for her action and she blamed the serpent. And though it’s not written in the passage, the serpent (Satan) refused to look inward; instead, he tried to blame humans while putting GOD on trial for creating the humans (see the book of Job). But was Adam guilty or was Eve the only one who was guilty? Yes – Adam was also guilty. Eve certainly did give the forbidden fruit to Adam, but it was his decision to receive it from her. Certainly, the serpent was guilty for convincing Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, but Eve possessed free will and did not have to choose to eat of the fruit. The victim mentality refuses to look inward and/or accept responsibility. What about you? Do you take responsibility for your actions or do you try to shift the blame onto others? Is it truly your parents’ fault? Does the blame truly fall on that person or people you have in mind? Are you completely blameless? Are you sinless? Certainly not (Psalm 51:5; Romans 3:23). Is it possible that you have avoided looking inward and have refused to accept responsibility for what you have chosen to do? Sometimes people truly are victims and are not guilty in certain situations such as rape or death due to a vehicle accident, but most people reap what they sow (Job 4:8; Proverbs 14:14; 22:8; Jeremiah 17:10; Hosea 10:12-13; Luke 6:37-38; 2Corinthians 9:6; Galatians 6:7-8). However, we must have the mentality that we are not victims; rather, we are conquerors in Christ (Romans 8:37-39)! And what do conquerors do? They take responsibility for their own actions and they overcome evil by doing good (Romans 12:21)!

Genesis 3:14-15 says, “¹⁴The Lord God said to the serpent, ‘Because you have done this, Cursed are you more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you will go, And dust you will eat All the days of your life; ¹⁵And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.”

Satan wanted GOD to blame and curse the humans, but GOD – as the Holy Judge – pronounced a guilty verdict on Satan and sentenced him with a curse. Not only does dust symbolize humiliation (Genesis 18:27; Job 30:19; 42:6; Psalm 72:9; Isaiah 49:23; 65:25; Micah 7:17), but man was created from the dust of the earth and so Satan will be forced to eat dust as a daily reminder that the humans he wanted to corrupt and destroy will forever be a bad taste in his mouth as he will forever be beneath them, never to be elevated above them. And then GOD promised that through the woman the Son of Man will “bruise” his head and he will only “bruise” His heel (Romans 16:20; Galatians 4:4; 1John 3:8). This, of course, is prophecy concerning Jesus finally cutting the head off the serpent and putting an end to his venomous bite that brings death. This prophecy concerning the Seed becomes the seed of all future prophecies. That word “bruise” is an English translation of the Hebrew word שׁוּף [H7779] šhûp̄h (shoof), which means to snap at, to lie in wait for something/someone, to fall upon, or to overwhelm. Therefore, the depth beyond the surface of this promise is all about GOD’s perfect and precise timing. When the time is right, the Lord will crush the serpent’s head while the serpent believes his timing in striking will be most effective. In other words, GOD essentially said, “I already know what you will plan to do and it won’t work. I’m going to allow you to strike and then I’m going to use your own plan against you and strike you down.” Interestingly, David used this same Hebrew word in Psalm 139:11 while describing GOD’s omniscience and omnipresence, stating that even if he were to be overwhelmed by the darkness of night, darkness is not dark to GOD because both darkness and light are alike to the Lord who can see everything.

Genesis 3:16-19 says, “¹⁶To the woman He said, ‘I will greatly multiply Your pain in childbirth, In pain you will bring forth children; Yet your desire will be for your husband, And he will rule over you.’ ¹⁷Then to Adam He said, ‘Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it All the days of your life. ¹⁸“Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you will eat the plants of the field; ¹⁹By the sweat of your face You will eat bread, Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return.”

GOD didn’t threaten Eve with greater pain, He merely promised her what was going to happen as consequences of her choices. If she wanted to be like GOD, then she would have to bring children into the world via creation and experience the pain they will bring her. Eve had never given birth before, but GOD warned her in advance to expect it to be painful. Just as GOD’s children brought (and will bring) Him pain, she will also understand what it will feel like for a child of her own to bring her pain. May we understand GOD’s words not as prescriptive but descriptive. Ponder on this: Adam and Eve got exactly what they desired. Eve desired to be like GOD, to know good and evil, and to be the one to make all of her own decisions. Adam was with her and also desired the same. However, getting what we want doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be what is best. How many times have you gone out of your way to get what you want only to later find out that it was not what was best or what you needed? All of GOD’s commands are for our own good. Just as a child trusts the parent(s) to give him/her what is best and right, we need to trust GOD that He wants the best for us and will give to us what is good (Proverbs 3:5-7; Matthew 6:26; 7:11; Luke 11:13; 12:24,28). Satan’s ultimate goal is for you to freely choose disobedience and rebellion. Doubt, discouragement, diversion, division, delay, and defeat will all amount to disobedience. Satan desires for you to question GOD’s goodness, focus on your problems rather than possibilities, keep your attention on attractive lures that will derail you, procrastinate and keep projects incomplete, and make you feel like a failure so that you will give up. Be careful about pursuing pleasantries. We can’t always get what we want — and that’s a good thing! The pursuit of pleasure can often lead us to pain. In fact, GOD tells Eve that her disobedience will bring pain in childbirth. Given the fact that Eve’s first son will later murder her second son (Genesis 4:8), perhaps the promised pain is less about the physical pain of giving birth and more about the emotional pain she will experience in seeing the violence and brokenness in her family due to everyone being born into sin (Romans 3:9-18; 5:12).

Genesis 3:20 says, “Now the man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all the living.”

Up to this point, Adam’s wife had only been referred to as “the woman”, but now Adam gives her a name. Following GOD’s judgment, it is interesting that Adam gives his female partner in life the name “Eve” because the name Eve sounds like a Hebrew term that means, “to give life.” Both Adam and Eve were promised death because of their sins, yet Adam desired to restore his relationship with his wife and proclaims that even through death, life will come through her! There is hope in the midst of judgment! Life will conquer death! In fact, GOD even promised victory in Genesis 3:15 that her Seed will crush the serpent’s head (Romans 16:20; 1Corinthians 15:25; Revelation 12:9-10). And so Eve’s name proclaims the Gospel message: through death, life will come through her because the future Seed will be Jesus who will conquer death once and for all (1Corinthians 15:53-57).

Genesis 3:21 says, “The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.”

The theological importance of this needs to be understood. GOD covered them. This is a divine covering. Throughout the Old Testament, one of the meanings of “to atone” is “to cover.” It’s no wonder that GOD’s righteousness is compared to clothing (Ecclesiastes 9:8; Luke 9:29; Revelation 3:5), as is unrighteousness being represented by “filthy garments” (Isaiah 64:6; Zechariah 3:3-4). Consider the father in Luke 15:22 who clothed his wayward son with the “best robe” upon the son’s return. It is also important to note that GOD covers Adam and Eve before they were expelled from the Garden. Grace always covers the Law. However, at least one animal that GOD called “good” (Genesis 1:25) had to die in order for Adam and Eve to be covered. This is truly where the sacrificial system begins: at the fall of mankind. Why? Because the promised spiritual death began in Genesis 3:6 with Eve’s covetousness. And as Paul would later write in Romans 6:23, “the wages of sin is death.”

Genesis 3:22-24 says, “²²Then the Lord God said, ‘Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever’— ²³therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. ²⁴So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life.”

Why would a loving GOD banish Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden? Did the punishment match the crime? GOD is Holy and sin simply cannot coexist with holiness (1Corinthians 10:21). GOD still loved them, but sin must be dealt with and evil must be purged. The difficult part to grasp in all of this is that GOD driving them out of the Garden and protecting the tree of life was a good thing and was for humanity’s best interest. Why? GOD had a plan to bring restoration. GOD is both justice and mercy. Even though Adam and Eve had to be punished for their sins, GOD had already made up His mind to love them, redeem humanity, and restore relationship through Christ Jesus. The big picture provides proper prospective and helps us understand GOD’s sacrificial love. GOD loves us so much that He allowed us to use our free will to make mistakes so that we can learn to love like Him. GOD only desired to prevent Adam and Eve (all of us) from living forever at that time because they (and all of us) were simply not yet ready to live eternally with a Holy GOD. Being able to rightly use free will to live in holiness requires not only a lifetime of training and practice, but because we are simply incapable of doing so without the help from the Holy Spirit, GOD needed to enact His plan for the relentless rescue operation of Jesus to atone for all of our sins. In the big eternal picture, the banishment is only temporary. Revelation 21-22 reveals that humanity will not be banished forever; in fact, we will live in His presence once again, but this time with glorified bodies (1Corinthians 15:35-58). GOD knew Adam and Eve were going to partake of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. He didn’t prevent them from doing so (as He did with the tree of life) because the Fall was absolutely necessary in order for us to go through the process of purification, learning how to be righteous and understanding why being righteous is good. The Fall serves the purposes of teaching us humility and gratitude. This life on this earth is mere training for the real life on the New Earth. All of us — in one way or another — had to partake of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil before we could ever partake of the fruit of the tree of life. For this reason, Jesus said in Revelation 2:7, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.” And then Revelation 22 reveals that the children of GOD will finally partake of the tree of life on the New Earth under the new heavens. And it is there we will realize that the process of purification, though painful, was worth it in the end. And our humility and gratitude will prevent us from ever having another Fall again.

In summary, Genesis means “beginning.” This is the beginning of space, time, matter, and all life. This is the telling of the Creator and His creation. GOD showcased His mastery as He created order in the cosmos and as He brought order to His relationship with people. GOD created everything perfect; one aspect of GOD’s perfection is revealed in His loving gift of free will, which was represented by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (2:17). Adam and Eve had to make a choice: will they trust GOD’s definition of good and evil and live by His absolute standard or will they choose autonomy and define good and evil for themselves? This is where the adversary, Satan — depicted here as the serpent (3:1) — comes into the picture as an image of rebellion against GOD’s absolute standard. The serpent tells Adam and Eve that they will be like GOD if they possess all knowledge (3:5). This is the introduction to the origin of sin — pride. Through free will, the humans chose to sin and then sin separated us from GOD’s presence and Holy standard. Human relationships are a constant downward spiral due to the original sin and consequences continue to fall like dominoes. As a result of the separation (the Fall), people no longer had an accurate idea of who GOD is and what GOD is like; consequently, humans started to lose their identity. GOD’s love brought about a covenant with His chosen people so that sin would not win; GOD’s love will prevail. Even after the original sin, GOD makes a promise of victory through prophecy regarding the Son of Man (3:15) and a picture of redemption through sacrifice (3:21) from the animals GOD had called good (1:25) – all of which foreshadows what will follow throughout the entire Bible — GOD has a plan for restoration. However, the promise does not erase the consequences of sin; humanity will still need to persistently plow through the painful process of purification until the promise arrives. In the fallen world, evil accumulates and sin piles up. Obstacles are overcome one by one as GOD demonstrates His love and supremacy; however, the decision to be like GOD (3:6) causes widespread evil on Earth (6:5), which begins with Adam and Eve’s son, Cain (4:8)…

Has Satan led you to believe that you aren’t good enough for GOD’s love because of the mistakes you’ve made in your life? But what has GOD said about this?
The Lord is constantly pursuing you. Will you attempt to hide from the Lord? Or will you accept correction so He can make things right again?
Where are you at in life right now? How did you get there? Are you where you’re supposed to be? If not, why not? Whose words were you listening to? Whose words did you receive and act upon?
When confronted with sin, how do you respond? Do you take responsibility for your actions or do you try to shift the blame onto others? Is it truly someone else’s fault? Does the blame truly fall on that person or people you have in mind? Are you completely blameless? Are you sinless?
The Fall came about due to a disconnect of head knowledge of GOD’s Word and a deep trust in the Lord within the heart. Are there any areas in your life right now where you lack trust in the Lord even though you know what GOD’s Word says about that topic? If so, what are those areas and why do you think it is so?
As a serious consideration, when you arrive on the New Earth under the new heavens, what do you think you will want to say to Adam and Eve when you see them there? I think I will say, “If I’m honest, I think I would have done the same thing you did. But praise the Lord that He allowed us the opportunity to temporarily taste the bitterness of evil so that we will be eternally grateful for the sweetness of the tree of life. Amen.”

The Case Of The Unfair God (Acts 10:34-35)

February 8, 2022December 19, 2022Tagged 1Peter 1:17, 1Timothy 5:21, 2Chronicles 19:7, Acts 10:34, Colossians 3:25, Deuteronomy 10:17, Deuteronomy 1:17, Ephesians 6:9, favoritism, Galatians 2:6, impartial, impartiality, James 2:1, James 2:9, Job 13:10, Job 34:19, lambano, lebab, Leviticus 19:15, life without limbs, Luke 20:21, LWL, Malachi 2:9, nephesh, Nick Vujicic, partiality, prosopoleptes, prosopon, Proverbs 18:5, Proverbs 24:23, Proverbs 28:21, Psalm 82:2, Romans 2:11, tetra-amelia2 Comments

“I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him” (Acts 10:34–35, NASB).
(See also Leviticus 19:15; Deuteronomy 1:17; 10:17; 2 Chronicles 19:7; Job 13:10; 34:19; Proverbs 24:23; Malachi 2:9; Luke 20:21; Romans 2:11; Galatians 2:6; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 3:25; 1 Timothy 5:21; James 2:1, 9; 1 Peter 1:17.)

I, Trenton, had once been an angry atheist myself. At some point in that season of unbelief, I remember hearing a Christian tell someone, “God is love. God loves everyone.”

The Christian’s claim made me angry, and so I wanted to confront the Christian with the following challenging questions: “If there is a God who loved everyone, why would this deity create disfigured, disabled, or retarded people? How is that loving? Or is your God still practicing? Has He not yet perfected how to make people? Has He not yet graduated from Human Creation School? Did He lose His blueprints? Was He drunk or on drugs when He made some of them? Did He not have enough workers to double-check for defects before they left the factory line and got shipped to Earth? You say that God is no respecter of persons, His judgment is fair, and He loves everyone. But to me, it seems obvious that your God plays favorites. How can you look at a retarded person who is drooling all over herself, unable to communicate, unable to enjoy life, and tell her that your God loves her? How is it loving?”

However, I never did confront that Christian. I kept my mouth shut and stewed in silence. Instead, confined within my own thoughts, I reasoned with myself, Let it go, Trent. At least this person is spreading a message of love and not hate. Just look at how joyful that person seems to be. That’s the joy you wish you had. Don’t take that away from somebody else just because you don’t have it. Oh, how ignorance is bliss. It must be nice.

I then walked away. I never asked those challenging questions to that Christian, so I don’t know how that Christian would have responded to my questions. But what about you? How would you respond to those questions? Before continuing this investigative study, take some time right now to answer the questions of why God created disfigured, disabled, or retarded people and how it could be a loving thing to do. After you have written your reasoned response, continue this study. At the end of this study, I’ll respond to my past self, and then you can compare your response with my response. Are you ready to begin our next Quest for Truth?

In Acts 10:34, the phrase indicating that God does not show partiality comes from the Greek word προσωπολήπτης [G4381] prosōpolēmptēs (pros-o-pol-ape’-tace), which is a compound of the words πρόσωπον [G4383] prosōpon (pros’-o-pon) and λαμβάνω [G2983] lambanō (lam-ban’-o). The word prosōpon literally means “towards the eye” and means the front, surface, exterior appearance, and implies a person’s face or physical appearance as a whole. The word lambanō means to take, seize, or lay hold of someone or something. Thus, the compounded word prosōpolēmptēs means to take hold of the physical exterior appearance. Therefore, God does not take hold of anyone’s physical exterior appearance; He is not captivated, amazed, enamored, or beguiled by any human being’s physical beauty. Rather, God is exactly as it is written in 1 Samuel 16:7 (NASB), “God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” The word “heart” is the English translation of the Hebrew word לֵבָב [H3824] lēḇāḇ (lay-bawb’), which means the inner self, mind, will, heart, and purpose, which implies the most interior of a place. In Exodus 15:8, this word describes the middle or center of the sea. Essentially, God examines the depth beyond the surface to the very core. In fact, lēḇāḇ is often compounded with the word נֶפֶשׁ [H5315] nephesh (neh’-fesh) which translates as “soul” to emphasize the very center or core of a person’s being (2 Chronicles 15:12). The Lord searches us thoroughly, examining the intent of our thoughts, the reasons behind our motives, and weighs our actions (1 Samuel 2:3; 1 Kings 8:39; 1 Chronicles 28:9; Luke 16:15). And that word lēḇāḇ was first used in Genesis 6:5 (NASB), “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his [lēḇāḇ] heart was only evil continually.” And this is why God shows no partiality. It’s as if God doesn’t even see our physical exterior attributes, but our appearance to Him is the very essence of who we are. Ponder: an X-ray machine looks beyond our physical exterior presence to reveal the bones (or structure) within, but God’s omniscient vision sees our very soul, the innermost of who we are, and thoroughly examines why we do what we do.

But if God shows no partiality, why did the Lord reveal Himself to me when I had been an angry, depressed, nihilistic, and suicidal atheist? Because the Lord knew my heart, and He knew that if I knew He truly existed, I would not harden my heart as so many others have done (Exodus 7:13; 2 Chronicles 36:13; Psalm 95:8; Hebrews 3:8, 15), but I would humble myself and seek understanding so as to be in alignment with the Truth. God knew me better than I knew myself and knew who I would become, that I would be like David—a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14; 1 Kings 9:4; 11:4; Acts 13:22). God knew that by revealing Himself to me, by Him knocking on the door of my heart (Revelation 3:20), I would invite the Lord in and permit the Lord to change my heart of stone into a heart of flesh, just as the prophet described in Ezekiel 11:19; 36:26. And when I became a new creation in Christ (Romans 13:14; Colossians 3:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17), His Law was truly written on my heart (Psalm 40:8; 119:34; Isaiah 51:7; Jeremiah 31:33; 2 Corinthians 3:3; Hebrews 8:10; 10:16).

But if God shows no partiality, then why doesn’t God draw all people to Himself in the same way He pulled me to Him? Well, like Pharaoh and Pharisees, many people—out of their free will—harden their hearts, reject the Lord, and rebel against God’s will. All people are equal in both creation and the opportunity for salvation. All people have been born into sin and are sinners (Genesis 6:5; Psalm 51:5; Ecclesiastes 7:20; Romans 3:9–18, 23; 5:12; Ephesians 2:3). And because of sin, no human possesses the ability to secure salvation apart from God’s provision (Romans 3:23–26; Ephesians 2:8–9). It is for this reason that we are saved by God’s grace through our faith in the finished work of Christ Jesus. Salvation is a gift, and God offers this gift to all people (John 3:16–17). In fact, God does not show favoritism in salvation, for it is written in Matthew 5:45 (NASB) that “He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Further, it is written that God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked; rather, He desires for them to repent so they may live (Ezekiel 18:23, 32; 33:11). So much so, in fact, that Jesus willingly sacrificed Himself on the cross even for sinners (John 10:18; Romans 5:8). As it is written in 2 Peter 3:9, God is patient with all people—including the wicked—not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. Therefore, Scripture is true in that God shows no partiality. All people have been given the gift of free will and are offered the free gift of salvation. But think of the Holy Spirit as a magnet. Those who desire to do good and live right will naturally be drawn toward the Holy Spirit, who convicts us of our sins (John 16:8–11). However, all people who desire to do evil will be repelled by the Holy Spirit, and they will go in the opposite direction. And so the simple truth is just as it is written in John 3:19–21 (NASB):

This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.

Certainly, Scripture makes it evident that God does not show partiality when it comes to salvation; however, isn’t it also evident in Scripture that God does, in fact, show favoritism to certain people over others? For example, Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis 6:8), Abraham was favored and blessed (Genesis 18:18), Joseph was favored and blessed above all (Genesis 39:2–6, 21–23), and the Israelites were favored in comparison with the other nations (Deuteronomy 14:2; Psalm 44:3). Also, certain people, such as the Lord’s prophets, stand out as favored compared to others (Deuteronomy 34:10; 1 Samuel 3:19), and David was chosen by God to be blessed, and he transitioned from an unimportant shepherd to the king of Israel (1 Samuel 16:13; 18:14). In addition to Old Testament examples, the New Testament reveals that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was highly blessed and favored among all other women (Luke 1:28, 30, 42), and certain people were specifically chosen by Jesus to be apostles (John 15:16). Even after Jesus resurrected and ascended into Heaven, God chose Matthias over Barsabbas to replace Judas as the twelfth apostle (Acts 1:23–26). Not only does Scripture make God’s favoritism known, but an honest examination of life seems to call attention to the fact that some people are highly blessed and favored, whereas other people are born blind, deaf, mute, lame, and in poverty. In fact, Scripture attests to the fact that some people were born blind (John 9:1), whereas others were blessed with eyesight. But if Scripture reveals that God shows no partiality, is it a contradiction for Scripture to also reveal that God clearly shows favoritism? No. Whereas God shows no partiality for salvation, God does strategically select specific people as instruments (or chosen vessels) in His salvation story.

Under examination, we need to understand why certain people were selected and blessed even though God shows no partiality. In proper context, God’s favoritism is an apparent contradiction but not an actual contradiction. Noah was chosen because he lived obediently by faith to God’s will (Hebrews 11:7), and it was God’s will that the flood be a part of our salvation story because it symbolized baptism and the cleansing of sins. Abraham was favored and blessed because he lived obediently by faith to God’s will (Genesis 22:18; Romans 4:9; Galatians 3:6–14; Hebrews 11:8), and it was God’s will for salvation to come from his seed and through faith (Matthew 1:1–17; Galatians 3:8; Hebrews 11:17–19). Joseph gave God the glory (Genesis 41:16), lived an obedient life by faith (Hebrews 11:22), and is a type of Christ who foreshadowed a future suffering servant who would end up saving the nations (Genesis 50:20). The Lord’s prophets lived by faith (Hebrews 11:24–29) and announced God’s messages to the people so that fulfilled prophecy could act as proof of precision to the salvation story. David was a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14; 1 Kings 9:4; 11:4; Acts 13:22) and showed us that blessed kings of the earth still serve the real King, who is Lord Jesus (Psalm 2:6; 1 Timothy 6:14–16; Revelation 17:14; 19:11–16). Mary was favored as a chosen vessel so that Immanuel (God with us) could bring about the plan for salvation for all people who come to the Lord in faith (Matthew 1:23; John 1:1, 14; 3:16–17). And finally, we must realize that even though Jesus favored specific people and chose them to be apostles, they all suffered persecution in order to live obediently in faith to God’s will to share the Gospel (John 15:18–20; 16:33; Romans 8:36; 2 Timothy 3:12). However, all people who were chosen vessels had the same thing in common: they were finite and fallible beings who were no better than all other human beings. Simply put, they were not chosen based on their greatness; rather, they were chosen based on God’s perfect plan. And God’s perfect plan is all about Christ Jesus and the salvation of the Lord’s children. So in this sense, all humans can be likened to chess pieces. Some clay (humans) were molded to be prominent positions (president, CEO, manager, captain, etc.); likewise, some plastic (chess pieces) were molded to be prominent positions (king, queen, knight, rook). However, all humans are clay, and all chess pieces are plastic. God shows no partiality; rather, God has a specific use for specific pieces at specific times in order to accomplish His victorious goal (restoration of relationship with all humans).

In prayer, I asked God to grant me wisdom and help me understand why He showed favoritism to some but not all and how His favoritism could still be compatible with His impartial love. I received an immediate word, or ῥῆμα [G4487] rhēma (hray’-mah) from the Holy Spirit, who called to my mind 1 Corinthians 12:12–31, which informs us that every individual believer is a part of the one unified body. Specifically, the Holy Spirit called to mind 12:15 (NASB), which says, “If the foot says, ‘Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,’ it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.”

Humans tend to place priority on positions or titles with a nearsighted view of this temporal life on this earth. However, God views the body as being all equal and necessary parts of the whole in Jesus, who is the head (Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 1:18; 2:19). Moreover, God views the body from the beginning to the end in eternity on the New Earth under the New Heavens in its glorified and completely perfect state (Ecclesiastes 3:11; 7:8; Isaiah 46:10; 55:11; Romans 8:17; 1 Corinthians 15:42–58; Philippians 3:20–21; Hebrews 3:14; Revelation 21–22).

Conceding to the image of the perfectly glorified body, I thanked the Lord that I am included to be a part of the glorious body. However, I confided in the Lord: “Due to my ever-changing emotions, I feel like I am but a pinky toe on the foot, which gets injured all the time, carries a lot of weight, gets covered up by the shoe that receives more attention and praise, and at the end of the day I stink, and no one wants to be around me. Or, during my worst emotional breakdowns, I feel like the anus, and all I ever do is deal with the crap no one else wants to deal with, and it’s a very thankless job. On the one hand, I am extremely grateful because I know I have been grafted in by grace, just as Your Word says in Romans 11:17–24. On the other hand, I am saddened by my perception that I’ll never be chosen for anything else I consider to be more significant and purposeful. But then I remember how You washed feet in John 13:5–20. If I am a foot, I certainly don’t deserve to be washed by Your hands. My unstable emotions of how I feel conflict with my reliable knowledge of who You are! Lord, I have dedicated my life to You. Like Isaiah 6:8, I shout out, ‘Here I am! Send me!’ Yet I feel like You never choose me for the missions that have any significant purpose. I feel like the horrible basketball player who was allowed on the team merely to fill the quota yet has to sit on the bench the whole game because the coach doesn’t want to put him in. I notice all the people You have shown Your favoritism toward, and it makes me feel like I’m not good enough and I’ll never be good enough for You to choose me for Your meaningful missions. Lord, how am I supposed to reconcile my feelings of You rejecting me for the important works with my knowledge of Your goodness? I feel like You loved me enough to save me, yet You’ll never consider me for Your meaningful ministry work. I want You to send me out sailing, yet I feel like You have me docked in Hinder Harbor. I am in a battle within myself! How am I supposed to understand Your favoritism which is clearly evident in both Scripture and life experiences?”

After my prayer, the Holy Spirit answered me with a vision of an extremely talented musician playing the piano. The hands playing the piano were moving all over the different keys. While I was watching, the Holy Spirit pointed out to me that some keys were in prominent positions and were played often, whereas some keys never got played at all. The Holy Spirit asked me, “What do you think about that song?”

I answered, “It was a masterpiece! It sounded awesome! I’ve never heard anything like that before!”

The Holy Spirit asked, “Did you notice the keys that never got played?”

I answered, “Yes.”

The Holy Spirit asked, “What if those keys had been played during the song? What would you think of the song then?”

I answered, “Well, I suppose it would have sounded awful and taken away from the beauty because they would have been the wrong keys. It would have been a distraction.”

The Holy Spirit asked, “What if one of the keys not being played was you? Did you not say the song sounded beautiful? Would you still ask Me to play you even though you said it would be a distraction, take away from the beauty, and would sound awful?”

I answered, “No. I suppose not.”

The Holy Spirit asked, “Why not?”

I answered, “Because I realize I don’t belong in that song. It would be better for the song and everyone else listening to the song if I weren’t played.”

The Holy Spirit asked, “How many different songs exist throughout all of time?”

I answered, “Only You know, but I’d imagine more songs than I can count.”

The Holy Spirit asked, “If certain keys do not belong in some songs, does it mean that those same keys don’t belong in all songs?”

I answered, “Well…I’d imagine the unused keys would belong in at least one song, right?”

The Holy Spirit asked, “Would you like to be played in the right song even if it is played later on, or would you rather be played in the song right now even if it’s the wrong song?”

I answered, “I’d rather be played in the right song even if it is played later on.”

The Holy Spirit asked, “Every key is unique and was created for its specific purpose. The Lord’s purpose involves many songs. One song will require the use of some keys, while a different song will require the use of other keys. One particular song might not use all the available keys, but how many of the available keys do you believe are used in all songs?”

I answered, “I don’t know. But I hope that with there being so many songs, every key would eventually be played and be a reason for the song sounding beautiful.”

The Holy Spirit asked, “Are all keys equal in creation?”

I answered, “I believe so, yes.”

The Holy Spirit asked, “Are all individual keys a part of the one piano body?”

I answered, “Yes.”

The Holy Spirit asked, “Would you like to hear the next song?”

I answered, “Yes! Am I in this one?”

The next song began to play, but I did not receive an answer to my question. At first, I became frustrated because I didn’t receive an answer. But then, I received another rhēma, and I was reminded of four different scriptures. The first was when Jesus told His disciples, “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now” (John 16:12, NASB). The second was that “many who are first will be last; and the last, first” (Matthew 19:30, NASB). The third was that “we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7, NASB). And the fourth was, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5–6, NASB).

In conclusion, I was reminded that I might feel a certain way right now, and it might be true that I’m feeling that way; however, it is also true that I do not see the whole picture right now. If the Lord revealed to me the entire plan right now, I might be too overwhelmed to even take the next step. The truth is that this life here on this earth is not our reward and does not accurately reflect our true treasure in Heaven. There’s no partiality with God. Those who feel like they are last right now will not feel that way in the life to come because they will be first. It is for this reason we keep our eyes on the prize, just as Paul said in Philippians 3:12–14 (NASB),

I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

So, if I were to respond to my old atheist self, how would I answer the questions I wanted to ask the Christian? Well, I would say, “Ignorance is not bliss, and this is why you are depressed and don’t possess the joy you desire. You don’t even know where life comes from, why life exists, or where life goes when life leaves the body, so how can you claim that anyone possessing life is experiencing an unloving act? And how do you know what is unloving unless you first know the standard of love? And by whose standard of love are you comparing the acts you determine to be unloving? What you are blind to see right now is how those you consider to be last and most unfortunate will actually be first and most blessed in the life to come. Why do you feel qualified to speak on their behalf? You pity them because you believe they only smile and laugh because they’re unaware of who they are and what’s going on around them. But you don’t know their thoughts. You feel sorry for someone who is blind because that person cannot see with his physical eyes, yet many of them feel sorry for you because you are spiritually blind and cannot see the evidence for life that God created or the love of God in that life. You feel sorry for someone who is unable to verbally communicate their thoughts, yet many of them feel sorry for you because you use the gift you’ve been given to express wrong thoughts about them and the God who loves both you and them. Through these most blessed individuals—who, by the way, will be restored in a perfectly glorified body in the life to come—we learn how to love those who need love the most and how to be grateful for all that we have in this life here on this earth. How can you be thankful for all the good unless you know about the bad you’re thankful not to experience? Do you believe that training in this life is necessary, yet you don’t believe that training for the life to come is necessary? If you don’t think God knows what He’s doing, perhaps you should ask Nick Vujicic what he thinks. He was born with tetra-amelia syndrome. And even though he has no arms and no legs, he has managed to help millions of people all over the world—because he has no arms or legs. In fact, he would not have his platform to reach millions of people had he not been born without arms and legs because he would have been just like you. His faith in God and his ability to seek solutions beyond perceived problems inspire millions of people. You, however, have Aperture Appetite, and you don’t see the bigger picture. You’re so focused on perceived problems that you don’t even see the Savior’s solutions in the blurred background. God wants to speak to you, but you’re unwilling to listen. So how are you any better than the deaf people you feel sorry for? Certainly, many of them feel sorry for you because you do not have ears to hear. But please open your ears and hear the advice I’m about to give you: read and study the Bible with the goal of seeing the depth beyond the surface and understanding what God is actually saying. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened. God desires to have a genuine relationship with you. Don’t bring your arguments to me. Seek God and listen to what the Lord wants to tell you. And when I tell you to seek God, I mean that you need to do this as if your life depends on it—because it does.”

Thoughts from The Artist J

Scripture tells us that God shows no partiality or favoritism. Yet what does it mean to be impartial? Impartial, by definition, means “treating all rivals or disputants equally; fair and just.” Partiality is a term for showing favor to one side over another when passing judgment due to a personal bias or the person’s prestige. So when Scripture says that God is impartial, it means He will not show anyone more favor in His judgments due to that person perhaps being wealthier or being of a higher status any more than another who may be poor or of lower status, for example. God is fair in His judgments and is not swayed by a person’s appearance, strength, or status. That is why the symbol for the justice system is typically a person with a blindfold on because a fair assessment is supposed to determine the verdict of the incident at hand and not appearances or how much power that person may have. And where we as humans may be swayed by that, God is not.

Look at what Jesus says to Pilate in John 19:10–11 (ESV) when Jesus was standing on trial and remaining silent.

So Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?” Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.”

Pilate’s appeal to his authority meant nothing to Jesus. Jesus is God. It wasn’t Pilate that would decide Jesus’ fate on the cross but the will of God, and God had already decided in Isaiah 53:9–10 (ESV),

And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt.

The point being is that God cannot be swayed because of our earthly status or position because, in God’s sight, we all have the same status in judgment, that being “dead in sin” or “alive in Christ.” Romans 3:23 (ESV) says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” and so no amount of wealth and prosperity, or whatever position you may hold, will have any benefit in your standing before God. The things that you’ve achieved or accomplished on this earth will not declare your innocence in God’s court of law because God shows no partiality in judgment. God sets up and throws down kings, and causes nations to rise and fall, so He cannot be bribed or swayed by whatever status people may think they hold, but instead judges fairly and equally based solely on whether or not you have had your sins forgiven through the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Thankfully, because of that atonement of Jesus Christ, all who believe can impartiality be declared innocent as well. Jesus’ ministry showed His impartiality in that Jesus helped and healed lepers, prostitutes, and Roman soldiers—people who the religious leaders of Israel considered outcasts or enemies. You see, Israel is God’s chosen nation, but because God so loved the world, Jesus showed God’s attribute of being impartial by taking the sin of not only Israel but of everyone. First John 2:2 (ESV) says, “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”

Through Jesus’ death and resurrection—though not all will be saved and trust in Christ—Jesus did extend salvation to all nations and races, even outside of Israel. This is why, when Jesus’ disciple Peter first saw that God had chosen to impart a Roman with the Holy Spirit, sealing him for the day of redemption, Peter said, “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him” (Acts 10:34–35, ESV).

Paul talks about this in Ephesians as well whenever he mentions the mystery of God’s will. He writes,

Making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.
Ephesians 1:9–11 (ESV)

Paul talks about how the mystery of God’s will was breaking down the wall of separation between Jews and Gentiles, how Jesus preached peace to those who were afar off and near, and how, through the Holy Spirit, both now have access to the Father. Now Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners but fellow saints adopted into the household of God (Ephesians 2:14–18). How Gentiles are now fellow heirs and of the same body as that of the Israelites believers of the Gospel. Partakers in the promise of Christ (Ephesians 3:6). So Gentiles should be considerably thankful for God’s impartiality.

God also gives us, as Christians and followers of God, the command to likewise be impartial and show no favoritism in judgment. Deuteronomy 1:17 (ESV) says, “You shall not be partial in judgment. You shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not be intimidated by anyone, for the judgment is God’s.”

God told the judges of Israel in 2 Chronicles 19:6–7 (ESV) saying,

Consider what you do, for you judge not for man but for the Lord. He is with you in giving judgment. Now then, let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Be careful what you do, for there is no injustice with the Lord our God, or partiality or taking bribes.

So as Christians, we are not to show partiality or favoritism in judgment, but we are also not to give more attention to one of our brothers or sisters over the other due to position, influence, or wealth. James 2:1–4 (ESV) says,

My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

So, when we show partiality or favoritism and pay more attention to one person, we are actually declaring an unfair judgment over the other person. Thinking of them as lesser than the other person and less than ourselves. When in actuality, all of us were once sinners and needing of a Savior all the same.

Paul actually had to correct Peter in this while in Antioch. Peter chose to sit with Jewish Christians over the Gentile Christians, which in turn was placing an unfair judgment upon the Gentile believers even though they had done nothing wrong. Paul showed what proper impartiality in judgment looked like by directly addressing Peter with this issue, even though Peter had much authority within the church as a handpicked disciple and apostle of Jesus Christ. Paul didn’t allow Peter’s position within the church to sway his need for correction. This incident was a great example to us of how to be impartial.

Galatians 2:11–16 (ESV) says,

But when Cephas [Peter] came to Antioch, I [Paul] opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel [that Gentiles have also been made coheirs with Christ as well as the Jewish believers], I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?” We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified [declared as righteous] by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

Paul was saying that the only way that either Jews or Gentiles can be cleared of their debt of sin and be declared innocent by God is by God’s grace through faith alone, and so we have no reason to treat each other any differently because we have both become equals through Christ.

That being said, what impartiality does not mean is that God never gives grace or chooses someone over another. Clearly, Scripture shows that God does choose particular people and nations, even from before the foundation of the world. Yet even when God does this, it is still not because of an aspect of who that person is. The choice is not influenced by appearance, strength, status, or position, so it’s not partiality. In fact, God many times chooses the least likely person. The weak, the low, the foolish, and the despised of the world, as He does with Christians (1 Corinthians 1:26–31). This becomes evident by looking at some of the people whom God has chosen to use throughout Scripture. It should prove that His decisions in choosing and using a particular person are not based on the appearances, status, wealth, or physical capabilities of that person but solely on God’s sovereign decision to give grace to whoever He might receive the most glory from. God’s decision is not influenced by the person but only His own will.

Look at Abraham. God chose a man whose own father was an idol maker to be the father of His chosen people, Israel, and the lineage of His promised Messiah to come. God picked Abraham’s son, Isaac, to be the promised offspring over his older brother Ishmael, and Isaac’s youngest son, Jacob, over his elder brother, Esau. God picked Jacob’s younger son, Judah, over Reuben. All of these elder sons should have been the chosen heir, but God decided differently.

God chose Moses, who had a speech impediment, to lead a people and speak the words of God to the nation of Israel when bringing them out of slavery. Israel itself was chosen and made by God because they were to be small and be the ones who could best display God’s glory, and He loved them. Saying in Deuteronomy 7:6–8 (ESV),

For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

God chose Gideon to be a judge over His people, Israel, and to wage war against Midian, who was oppressing them. Yet Gideon was the youngest and weakest in all of Manasseh, which was his family’s tribe. The Lord simply said, “I will be with you” (Judges 6:16, ESV).

After God picked all the judges, God would eventually choose David, the youngest, smallest, and weakest of all his brothers, to be king over Israel. God would go on to pick prophets who were depressed and bitter, one who would try to run from God, but all would be God’s chosen men who would speak on His behalf.

Many other people throughout Scripture had a variety of other problems, but all prove God to be no respecter of persons in His choices. These people didn’t earn God’s decision to choose them because many would be the least likely candidates. God gave them grace because He wanted to, not because He was influenced to.

In the New Testament, Jesus’ own chosen disciples were not biblical scholars but were instead made up of fishermen, and tax collectors, which was a position hated by his own people because they worked with the Romans. The first man that God used to preach a sermon after Jesus’ ascension and that saw 3,000 souls saved was the same person who had denied Jesus three times the night of Jesus’ arrest (Matthew 26:69–75; Acts 2:41).

God chose Saul of Tarsus (who was later known as Paul)—a persecutor of the Christian faith—to write the majority of the New Testament. Paul even referred to himself as the chief of sinners before Christ (1 Timothy 1:15), and yet Paul’s opening line in his letter to the Ephesians is on how God chose Paul to be a Christian and a minister of the Gospel. Paul says in Ephesians 1:1 (ESV), “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,” and goes on to say in 1:3–5 (ESV),

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will.

Jesus chooses people according to His will. Jesus says in John 15:16, 19 (ESV),

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you …If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

God showing favor or giving grace to someone is different than showing partiality. Being partial means that you can be swayed in your decision by something that the person has to offer, but the thing is, people have nothing to offer God, so He cannot be influenced by them. God doesn’t show partiality because He is not swayed and cannot be bribed by the merits, wealth, or social status of man. People have nothing to bribe Him with because He’s God. The God who knows that the thing that would actually be just and what all people actually deserve is wrath. Yet God, in His goodness, and not because of any inherent goodness in us, through His own will, chose to show some people grace. And we as Christians are saved thanks to this grace given to us by Christ. Ephesians 2:8 (NASB) says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.”

God cannot show partiality, but He does show grace to whom He wills. Nobody deserves God’s grace because grace is, by definition, undeserving and something that cannot be earned. So God giving grace is not based on partiality because it’s not based on that person’s appearance, wealth, strengths, status, or position. It’s simply a decision from God to give that person a gift because God is good. It has nothing to do with what that person has to offer to influence His choice. God chooses because it is His fair choice to do so. God simply gives grace because He wills to, and He does so for His own glory.

God, in His grace, also impartially gives other gifts, talents, and abilities to His church as well, not because they deserve them but because God is gracious. There are varieties of gifts, but all of them are of importance because they come from the same Spirit. Gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, and we, as stewards of these gifts, are called to exercise the gift we have to build up the body of Christ and serve others. Jesus says in Mark 9:35 (ESV), “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and the servant of all.”

First Corinthians 12:18–19, 24–27 (ESV) says how each of the gifts that God has given to you is just as important as the gifts He has given to another Christian:

But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? …But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

So in closing, we see that God is completely impartial and is never swayed in His judgments due to the prestige of the individual, but God does still choose to give grace and gifts to whomever He wills, and those people are called to use those gifts to impartially serve others for the glory of God.

Picture Scripture: “Treasure” (Luke 18:25)

September 21, 2021Tagged camel, chay, chrema, eye, Luke 18:25, money, needle, nephesh, plousios, poor, prosperity, psuche, ptochos, rich, ruwach, thesauros, treasure, wealthy1 Comment

(Luke 18:25)
“For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

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Picture this: I once created a treasure hunt for some youths in my community. With great expectations, the youths followed every clue and persevered through every obstacle in order to find the treasure box. Once they finally discovered the treasure box, they saw that it was decorated beautifully and they became excited to see what was inside. However, once they opened it, they realized that their great expectations were actually unrealistic expectations because inside was only fake dog poop. I then taught them a necessary life lesson about the difficult truth of life: we should never judge by appearance. Though the treasure box looked beautiful on the outside, it contained nothing of value within. And so it is the same with human beings. Not everyone who looks attractive will contain a treasure within. A clay jar might be labeled that it contains cookies, but inside could be a venomous snake. A whitewashed tomb may look pretty on the outside, but inside is dead men’s bones. In stark contrast, a person who is physically unattractive, deformed or mutilated might look “worthless” on the outside, but inside that person could be harboring the greatest treasure known to mankind. True treasure is never anything material that can be seen or touched; rather, true treasure is only found within and cannot be seen or touched.

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Is it wrong to be wealthy? After all, Jesus said that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of GOD. In proper context, this verse under examination is found within the parable of the Rich Young Ruler, which is found in three different Gospels (Matthew 19:16-30; Mark 10:17-31; Luke 18:18-30).

So, is it wrong to be wealthy? Well, many prosperity preachers from the Word of Faith Movement will [falsely] teach people that the Christian who lives right will be blessed and will prosper in this life with wealth and health. They often claim that all we have to do is “name it and claim it” or “speak it into existence.” In essence, they act like their faith according to their own will automatically creates a desirable outcome, as if they are gods who could create such outcomes. But this false teaching is not true according to GOD’s Word. Those who follow the prosperity preachers often neglect that all that we ask or desire must be in alignment with GOD’s will (James 4:3,13-16; 1John 5:14). [Read “The Father’s Will” Picture Scripture for more on GOD’s will.] In fact, Paul wrote a warning against such men of “depraved mind” who supposed godliness was a means of gain and he said their desire for riches was a trap that brought them “into ruin and destruction” (1Timothy 6:5-9). In fact, this greed is what brought Judas to his destruction (Matthew 27:3-5; John 12:6). And as we wrote in the “Lukewarm” Picture Scripture, one of the reasons Jesus rebuked the church in Laodicea is because they put their faith in their wealth and did not do what they were supposed to do according to the Lord’s will.

As we wrote in the “Take Up Your Cross” Picture Scripture, we must understand what it truly means to follow Christ. The superficial saints need deeper roots or they will fall away. Jesus plainly told us that we will be hated by the world and suffer persecution (John 15:18-20; 16:33; Romans 8:36; 2Timothy 3:12). But understand this: those who are persecuted are actually blessed (Matthew 5:10-12). And though we are willing to give up everything in this world (Matthew 4:20-22; 19:21; Mark 10:28), Jesus promises that we will be fulfilled in the life to come (Matthew 5:12; 19:29; Mark 10:29-30; Luke 6:23; 18:29-30; John 14:2-3).

But is it wrong to be wealthy in this life on this earth? Well, if the person is wealthy, this leads to the question, “Why is that person wealthy?” Is that person wealthy because money is all that person cares about? Does that person refuse to give and help others? The Pharisees were lovers of money (Luke 16:14). However, all of us are called to be free from the love of money (1Timothy 3:3; Hebrews 13:5) because the love of money is the root of all sorts of evil (1Timothy 6:10). And Jesus told us that we cannot serve two masters; we cannot serve both GOD and money (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13). In fact, some people walked away from Jesus because they were wealthy and refused to let go of their wealth in order to follow Christ and live according to His Word (Matthew 19:21-24; Mark 10:21:23; Luke 18:22-25). Jesus told the rich man and the disciples who were listening that the people who place their trust in their riches will find it difficult to enter the Kingdom of heaven. Jesus exposed the man’s hardness of heart. In reality, his wealth was his god, his idol, and he refused to give it up. Thus, the man violated the first and greatest commandment, “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3; Matthew 22:36-38).

The English word “riches” is the Greek word chrema, which means money, wealth, or something needed and used for business transactions. In Acts 8:18-23, Simon the magician placed his trust in chrema and Peter rebuked him for doing so because no one is able to purchase the Holy Spirit. And in Acts 24:26, Felix, having his trust in chrema, desired to get money from Paul. But no amount of wealth can ever purchase the Holy Spirit nor can money buy love (Song of Solomon 8:7). And for this reason, it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of heaven. But because it’s impossible for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, Jesus essentially said it is impossible for a rich person to get into the Kingdom of heaven. The disciples were astounded because they thought that if anyone could be saved, it would be the rich, whom their culture considered especially blessed by GOD. The English word “rich” is the Greek word plousios, which is used as an adjective to describe a person who is rich or wealthy, someone who abounds with material resources. Jesus told the man who loved his wealth to “give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.” The English word “poor” is the Greek word ptochos, which means one who is down, lowly, crouching, or fallen; a pauper. In essence, it is a helpless poverty-stricken person who begs for a living. The English word “treasure” is the Greek word thesauros, which means a storehouse, which is a place where good and precious things are kept for safe keeping, and ultimately represents abundance, which is a treasure.

In regards to this treasure, Jesus told us in a parable that the Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field (Matthew 13:44). Thus, for those who truly understand that entering the Kingdom of heaven is the best treasure we could ever receive, they should be willing to give away all they have in this temporary life in order to receive the true treasure in the eternal life that is to come. And this is why Jesus asked what it will profit us to gain the whole world yet lose our souls (Matthew 16:26; Mark 8:36; Luke 9:25). The word “soul” is the English translation of the Greek word psuche, which corresponds respectively to the Hebrew words nephesh, ruwach, and chay, and thus means “breath of life,” or “the self,” or “soul.” It is the vital force which animates the body and shows itself in breathing. Psuche is the soul as an essence which differs from the body and is not dissolved by physical death (as evident by Matthew 10:28 and Revelation 6:9).

The best Biblical definition might be found in Psalm 103:1 where this “soul” is described as “all that is within” a person; the inner self. And this is the same “inner man” Paul referenced in his letters (Romans 7:22–23; 2Corinthians 4:16; Ephesians 3:16). Therefore, “soul” is parallel to the whole person “I.” And in this respect, the body is therefore viewed as the storehouse which harbors the true treasure within. This is why Paul said “we have this treasure in earthen vessels” (2Corinthians 4:7). But what is this treasure within us? As we learned in “The Owner Returns” Picture Scripture, it is written in Psalm 2:9 that the Lord will return with an iron rod and shatter the wicked people to pieces as if they were mere earthenware. The word “earthenware” is the English translation of the Hebrew words yatsar and kliy, which means the potter’s vessel, which refers to clay pots (Leviticus 6:28). But of course, the Lord is the Potter and the Creator can do as He pleases with the clay (Isaiah 29:16; 64:8; Jeremiah 18:6; Lamentations 4:2; Zechariah 11:13; Romans 9:20-21). And if we are the vessels or the storehouse which harbors the treasure, the treasure is none other than the Holy Spirit within us (Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30). And if we possess this treasure, then and only then are we truly rich. And this is why Paul said “I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him” (Philippians 3:8-9). Paul also said, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich” (2Corinthians 8:9).

This is the very reason Jesus told us not to store up for ourselves treasure on this earth where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. Instead, we should store up for ourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal. The Lord told us that where our treasure is, there our hearts will be also (Matthew 6:19-21; Luke 12:34). In fact, when someone demanded of Jesus that He enforce division of family inheritance, Christ responded by saying, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions (Luke 12:15). And then Jesus told a parable about a rich man who stored up for himself earthly treasures in abundance. In this parable, GOD told that person that he was a fool for storing up treasure on earth because GOD took him away from it all before he could ever do anything with it. And then Jesus concluded by saying, “So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:16-21). In essence, it is true to say that some people are so poor that all they have is money. Jesus taught this great reversal in the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-12; Luke 6:20-26, the story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31), and in His parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard where the first will be last and the last will be first (Matthew 20:16).

Jesus had even said at one point that it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). However, we see that in Acts 5:1-11 that a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property in order to donate the money to the apostles, but they kept money for themselves and lied about the value of the property and how much money they received. Scripture tells us that they lied to the Holy Spirit and had impure motives and thus received a death sentence directly from GOD. Therefore, motive matters as to what we give and why we give. And for this reason, it is written in 2Corinthians 9:6-7 that the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. However, each one must do just as he/she has purposed in his/her heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for GOD loves a cheerful giver.

So, is it wrong to be wealthy in this life on this earth? The answer could be yes or no, depending upon what the person does with the money and the person’s motive as to why that person gave. After all, the Pharisees did all their deeds to be noticed by mere men (Matthew 23:5). And while they put on a pious performance, they even took away homes from widows (Matthew 23:14). They tithed yet neglected justice, mercy, and faithfulness (Matthew 23:23). Some people have multiple streams of income and so they will always have a lot of money even if they are always giving. Thus, a wealthy person could still be a generous and cheerful giver who is not attached to his/her money. Such a person would be like a flowing stream of fresh water that always gives. And so if a person is wealthy, what is the person doing with what he/she has been given? In fact, this is what the “Burying The Talent” Picture Scripture is all about! So, what are you doing with what you were given? How are you using your time, gifts, money, etc.? Is it your goal to store up treasure here on this earth? Should we not use what we have been given while we are able to use it? Or will GOD call us a fool for storing up what we never got to use?

The Bible includes examples of people being blessed by God and becoming wealthy, including Abraham (Genesis 13:2), Jacob (Genesis 30:43), and Solomon (1Kings 10:23). However, in the overwhelming majority of cases, when Scripture discusses material wealth, it warns us of the dangers of having riches. It is not a sin to be wealthy, but riches certainly invite temptation. In general, I believe (based on Scripture) that money merely magnifies who the person truly is within. Therefore, a wicked person who acquires a lot of money will become even more of a wicked person; however, a righteous person who acquires a lot of money will become even more generous with his/her giving. But of course, the Holy Spirit can always convict and change people. For example, Zacchaeus was a wealthy man, his gains were ill-gotten, and his life was characterized by greed. However, after encountering Jesus, he was convicted and desired to repent and change his life. Zacchaeus’s transformation affected every part of his life, including the way he handled money: “Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, ‘Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much’ ” (Luke 19:8).

Now, even if you (the reader) happen to be wealthy, you can still do right — just like Zaccheus — by living according to GOD’s Word. So, what does the Lord command us to do with our money if money is merely a means to an end? This is our command: Love our neighbor as we would love ourselves (Leviticus 19:18; Mark 12:31; Romans 13:8-10; Galatians 5:14; James 2:8). And all throughout the Bible, it is evident that GOD desires for those who have to help those who have not, for the wealthy to help the poor (Exodus 22:25; Deuteronomy 15:7-11; 24:14-15,19-22; Psalm 72:13; Proverbs 14:21,31; 19:17; 21:13; 22:9; 28:6,27; 29:7; 31:20; Isaiah 1:17; 58:7; Jeremiah 5:28; Ezekiel 16:49; 18:16-17; Daniel 4:27; Amos 5:12; Zechariah 7:10; Luke 14:13,21; Galatians 2:10; James 2:5-6).

Paul echoes everything Jesus taught regarding money and loving our neighbor in 1Timothy 6:17-19: “Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.”

Possessing wealth comes with great responsibility and an abundance of opportunities to love our neighbors. It is written in Luke 12:48, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.”

And so we’re not to place our trust in wealth; in fact, this is the reason it is written on every United States dollar, “IN GOD WE TRUST.” Money is to be used so that we can be rich in good works, which is done out from faith.

However, even if you do use your wealth to help others, heed the Lord’s warning in Matthew 6:1-4: “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”

In the end, the disciples, astonished at Jesus’s teaching, asked, “Then who can be saved?” And Jesus responded by saying, “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God” (Genesis 18:14; Job 42:2; Jeremiah 32:17,27; Zechariah 8:6; Matthew 19:26; Mark 10:27; Luke 1:37; 18:27). Even rich people can enter the Kingdom if GOD brings them in. Faith in Christ, not in self or riches, is what matters. So, on what are you relying upon for salvation? Your own efforts? Certainly not! No one enters the Kingdom based on their own works; salvation cannot be earned, it is a free gift of grace (Ephesians 2:8-9).

The Artist J:

There are a few different interpretations to what the “eye of the needle” is in this verse. Some interpret it as a literal sowing needle, and others have claimed Jesus was referring to a gate in Judea which was called the needle, which had a smaller door on the gate that would be impossible for a camel carrying loads of riches on its back to be able to enter. Whichever way you might interpret it, the point Jesus was making was that it was impossible for a camel to go through it. Meaning it’s just as impossible for a rich man with all the treasures of earth to be saved as it is a poor man to be saved. The amount of wealth someone has does not have any bearing on their salvation, so both are impossible to be saved without the act of God extending His grace toward either.

The rich, however, may have a temptation that the poor does not, and that is the tendency to place their reliance and faith upon their own great wealth instead of their even greater God. As the example of the rich young man that Jesus was addressing within these verses clearly shows, having wealth can actually be a hindrance to faith. Riches can seduce you into thinking you can depend upon your own possessions and what you think you have “earned” instead of depending upon the all powerful and and all sufficient God.

The triune God is the one and only being in existence that can legitimately depend upon Himself. Created man does not possess this ability. Human beings are made by design for dependance upon God. It is absolutely impossible for man to depend upon ourselves, for God supplies the very air that we depend on to breathe. In fact, all of creation itself, from all the angels and host of heaven to the tiniest insect on earth, all depend upon God to maintain their very existence.

Colossians 1:17 says “And He [God] is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”

Romans 11:36 says “For everything comes from Him and exists by His power and is intended for his glory. All glory to Him forever! Amen.”

Acts 17:28 says “In Him we live and move and have our being.”

Absolutely nothing can stand in God’s way from accomplishing His will. If God so wished He could but speak and the devil and every single one of His enemies would cease to exist. God has no rival. He is not dependent upon anything, but is completely self-sufficient. Psalm 115:3 says “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.”

Isaiah 14:24,27 says, “The LORD of Hosts has sworn: As I have purposed, so it will be; as I have planned it, so it will happen…. The LORD of Hosts Himself has planned it; therefore, who can stand in its way? It is His hand that is outstretched, so who can turn it back?”

So all that being said, do you think our dependency would be more suited towards God or money? Which is more reliable and which would be a more stable ground to place our complete trust in? Do you think God perhaps?

Jesus told the rich man in Luke 18:22, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

Jesus would therefore be saying that even obtaining one treasure in heaven would be worth more than the rich man selling everything that he had on earth. Think about that. All the wealth on earth does not compare to obtaining a single treasure in heaven, and treasures in heaven come from following Christ. Yet sadly the man in these verses chose not to follow Jesus, because his faith to save him was in his own wealth.

Wealth isn’t even as reliable as people think. If God so chose, you could lose it in an instant. Scripture provides some examples of how shaking and unreliable wealth can be as a substance of our faith. Look at Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and most likely the richest man in his time. In Daniel 4:30, Nebuchadnezzar in his great wealth and pride says “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?”

Then 4:31-33 says, “While the words were still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, ‘O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.’ Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers, and his nails were like birds’ claws.”

See how fast something like riches and power can slip away from you. Nebuchadnezzar did not ascend back upon his throne until God utterly broke his pride, and until he finally realized that his faith and dependency had to be fully placed upon God. Nebuchadnezzar finally said this in 4:34-37: “At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, ‘What have you done?’ At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.”

Maybe our prayer as Christians should be that of Agur in Proverbs 30:8-9 when he says “Give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.”

Let us be grateful for the things God has given us, and willing to give them up if we must, and trust Him to provide and see us through, if selling everything is what He’s called us to.

After all, God provided for the Israelites in the wilderness. He made water come from a rock and manna from heaven. God said in Deuteronomy 29:5, “I have led you forty years in the wilderness. Your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandals have not worn off your feet.”

God doesn’t change. If He provided for His people then, then we can have faith that God will provide for those who follow Jesus now!

Give Me Neither

God don’t make me rich, but please don’t give me nothing. If You give the birds what they require then please provide everything I need for my consumption. Not so much that I might reject You, and not so little that I’d have to steal, but I’ll gratefully take whatever You feel. You know what’s best, You know what I can handle, if you’ve called me to walk this long, narrow road then I’m trusting You to provide the sandals, if they get worn out, and when I doubt help me to trust You, I’d rather You provide me with faith than things that will rust soon, because what good are riches gathered on a journey if I never meet its end, it’s impossible to follow You if I’ve settled for just money to spend.