Category Archives: JUST ASKING / CURIOUS QUESTIONS

JUST ASKING / CURIOUS QUESTIONS, Should I preach the same Bible messages I have preached before?

Should I preach the same Bible messages I have preached before?

SHOULD I PREACH THE SAME BIBLE MESSAGES I HAVE PREACHED BEFORE?

by Shawn Brasseaux

Friend, I see nothing wrong with that. Provided that you do not cover the same material every meeting, the exact same verses every week, there is no problem. From time to time, I re-teach Bible studies, though not verbatim. There are certain times when I reprint articles as well. Other Bible teachers and pastors I know review the same topics a few times a year. They look at the same set of verses but in a different order. Their messages are not precisely the same as before.

Remember, friend, there are only 66 Bible Books—we have a limited number of verses to preach and teach anyway. Only 13 of those Books, Paul’s epistles of Romans through Philemon, are to and about us. Study and teach all Bible Books, but, eventually, there will still be some overlap in your messages. In the long run, there will be repetition, but that is okay. Repetition is the key to teaching because it is key to learning. The Bible does talk about reminding the brethren of sound Bible doctrine. It should be brought back into their thinking. While they have already heard the material, they need to be exposed to it again to have more understanding and more maturity in that doctrine. We tend to forget the doctrine and we need to be reminded of it. Notice the following examples from Scripture:

  • Luke 17:32: “Remember Lot’s wife.”
  • 2 Timothy 2:14: “Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.”
  • Ephesians 2:11: “Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;”
  • 1 Timothy 4:6: “If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.”
  • 2 Timothy 2:8: “Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:”
  • Acts 20:35: “I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
  • 2 Thessalonians 2:5: “Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?”
  • Acts 20:31: “Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.”
  • John 15:20: “Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.”
  • Jude 17-18: “[17] But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; [18] How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.”
  • 2 Peter 1:12-15: “[12] Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. [13] Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; [14] Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me. [15] Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.”
  • 1 Corinthians 4:17: “For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.”
  • Jude 5: “I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.”
  • 2 Peter 3:1: “This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:”

Also see:
» How does one know if he or she is maturing in the Word of God?
» Did not Jesus speak words not recorded in Scripture?
» Can we witness too much to family members?

Did Goliath suffer from a brain tumor?, Did Goliath suffer from a brain tumor?, JUST ASKING / CURIOUS QUESTIONS, THE NATION ISRAEL

Did Goliath suffer from a brain tumor?

DID GOLIATH SUFFER FROM A BRAIN TUMOR? IS THAT WHY HE LOST THE BATTLE?

by Shawn Brasseaux

Why did Goliath the Giant lose to little David? Was Goliath feeble in some way?

Years ago, I watched a documentary in which Bible “scholars” and other so-called “authorities” were attempting to rationalize the miraculous stories of Scripture. They offered various explanations to try and “tone-down” its supernatural events. We have to remember that they likely do not have the indwelling Holy Spirit to teach them. If (by rare chance) are saved in Christ, they are thinking about Scripture like lost people. Regardless, they are approaching the Bible from strictly a literary, historical, theological, medical, et cetera, standpoint. There is no spiritual aspect for them. First Corinthians 2:13-14: “[13] Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. [14] But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

In their minds, they disallow any and every possibility for the miraculous, seeing as to how such outward manifestations are absent today. That is to say, since visible supernatural events are not currently here with us, they reason that they never occurred at all. Therefore, they say, we should not look at the Bible from a supernatural standpoint either. They will rule out Almighty God and look for some other reason for the outcome of events. For example, in that documentary, they were saying that Goliath suffered from an overactive pituitary gland. This sickness, they claimed, ultimately caused him to lose when fighting young David. Was Goliath really such a formidable opponent as Bible believers assume? Or, did he, as Bible skeptics claim, have a physical condition that rendered him weak in battle? We evaluate both sides of the argument!

BIBLE FACTS (PART I)

Let us notice these facts from God’s Holy Word:

  1. Goliath is undoubtedly an extremely large, tall man. According to 1 Samuel 17:4, he has a height of “six cubits and a span.” The short “cubit” is 18 inches (46 centimeters); the long one is 22 inches (56 centimeters). The “span” is the maximum distance between the tips of the outstretched thumb and little finger—about nine inches (23 centimeters). So, simple arithmetic yields: 6 cubits x 1.5 feet = 9 feet. Adding the span brings Goliath’s height up to 9 feet 9 inches (or 2.9 meters) at the very minimum. If we use the long cubit—(6 cubits x 1.83 feet = 11 feet)—it would be a maximum height of 11 feet 9 inches (or 3.6 meters). We will use the conservative value: Goliath is a tad shy of 10 feet (3 meters) tall. Wow!
  2. First Samuel 17:5 says that Goliath wears a coat of mail that weighs “five thousand shekels of brass.” One estimate is 166 pounds (75.3 kilograms)! Friend, imagine wearing that coat of metal mesh!
  3. The staff of Goliath’s spear resembles a “weaver’s beam”—evidently, a large, long block-like handle. The spear’s head alone “weighed six hundred shekels of iron” (1 Samuel 17:7)—approximately 15 pounds (6.8 kilograms). Imagine carrying a staff with a blade of that weight!
  4. Goliath is a man skilled in war from a child, whereas David is but a boy, probably still a teenager. First Samuel 17:33 says: “And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.” And, verse 42: “And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.”
  5. When they face off, Goliath is carrying a sword and a spear, while David is taking a sling and a small pouch containing five smooth river stones. First Samuel chapter 17 relays the following: “[40] And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine…. [45] Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied…. [47] And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands…. [49] And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. [50] So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.”

FACTS AND CRITICS

Picture in your mind a shepherd boy, probably a teenager, taking a sling and a bag of stones, to fight a man literally more than double his height and size, a man who has many years of training in war. The shepherd boy kills the giant with one shot!

The Bible critic dismisses the above scenario as ridiculous. There is no way that puny David could have defeated powerful, skilled Goliath… unless, (they speculate) there was something physically wrong with Goliath. Enter the skepticism, the questioning of God’s Word (Genesis 3:1). One way to try and get around the miraculous nature of the passage is to say that Goliath suffered a debilitating physical illness. Maybe a brain tumor had caused him to lose his balance, so he fumbled with his weapons. Perhaps, because of that pituitary tumor, he was partially blind and unable to see where David was and fight him. This is what I heard in that documentary. (If you really think about the critic’s claims however, that position proves itself very embarrassing to defend. We will expose it as folly not long from now.)

Notice the following medical science information I retrieved from ClevelandClinic.org:

“The pituitary gland is a tiny pea-sized endocrine gland located in a bony cavity in the base of the brain. Endocrine glands secrete hormonal substances into the body’s bloodstream. The pituitary gland plays a major role in regulating a wide range of biological functions. It secretes hormones involved in: Metabolism, Growth, Blood pressure, and Sexual maturation and function….

“When the pituitary gland is overactive, it secretes excessive amounts of some hormones, usually due to the presence of a benign (noncancerous) tumor. Overactivity of the pituitary gland is called hyperpituitarism.

“Several disorders related to an overactive pituitary gland can occur. These include:….

“Acromegaly: This disorder is caused by secretion of excessive amounts of growth hormone (GH) in adults. Acromegaly can cause: Hands and feet to grow; Change in facial structure — jaw and brow may stick out and the nose, tongue, and lips may get bigger; Skin becoming thick, coarse, and oily; Irregular periods in women and erectile dysfunction in men; Increased risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack, and certain types of cancer.

“In children and adolescents, excessive levels of growth hormone can result in a condition called gigantism. Children with this condition may have unusually long arms and legs and may grow to heights of 7 to 8 feet [2.1 to 2.4 meters] or more.”

I mention the above data just so you know where the Bible critic is probably coming from in reference to Goliath. There is a strict medical explanation to which they can hold. Now, let me say this so you not misunderstand me. Goliath did suffer from some type of medical condition (more on this later). However, we cannot identify it because the Bible does not give us enough information to make an absolute diagnosis. It could have been acromegaly or gigantism, for lack of a better word; however, it may have been something medical science has not discovered in modern times. Whatever afflicted him though, it was certainly not debilitating as the skeptics claim. Back to the Bible!

BIBLE FACTS (PART II)

The language of the Bible record indicates that Goliath was a fully capable soldier, physically fit, with complete awareness of his opponent:

  1. On three occasions, Goliath was titled the “champion” of the Philistines (1 Samuel 17:4,23,51). It is quite laughable that the Philistines would have permitted him to go out and represent them in battle—fumbling, stumbling, and blind. Their entire nation was at risk, and they would let him defend them? Surely, the Philistines assumed that Goliath was healthy and terrible enough to battle their enemies the Jews.
  2. As we mentioned earlier, Goliath wore a coat of mail that weighed “five thousand shekels of brass” (1 Samuel 17:5). Recall that one estimate has this at 166 pounds (75.3 kilograms)! His spear’s head alone “weighed six hundred shekels of iron” (1 Samuel 17:7)—recall it was about 15 pounds (6.8 kilograms). Goliath was not frail or feeble; he could not have put on and carried such equipment if he was unstable or clumsy. Again, he was a tough challenger!
  3. When Goliath offered to fight Israel’s representative, there was great fear and worry among the Jews. First Samuel 17:11 reveals this to us: “When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.” Why should they worry about a fumbling, bumbling giant? Evidently, Goliath was not the “cripple” that the critics would have us believe!
  4. We know that Goliath was a healthy soldier because the Bible says that he “drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days” (1 Samuel 17:16). For a “sick, incapacitated man,” he had great stamina—for nearly six weeks, day and night, he challenged Israel to find one of their own who could defeat him! This is hardly the language of a lumbering individual.
  5. King Saul of Israel was a very tall man, for “from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people” (1 Samuel 9:2; 1 Samuel 10:23). Saul urged young David to borrow his own armor, affording David some protection against Goliath. Of course, Saul’s armor was much too large for smaller David to wear (1 Samuel 17:38-39). Why would Saul want David to enter the battle with armor, if Goliath was such a clumsy, limited antagonist? Evidently, Saul assumed that Goliath was equipped to kill David with one small stroke of his hand!
  6. The Bible record is very clear that Goliath did not suffer from visual impairment. First Samuel chapter 17: “[42] And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. [43] And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.” Goliath, actively looking, saw where David was on the field, he discerned that David lacked proper weapons, and he even noticed David was a handsome, healthy, young man. Goliath was as “blind” as you and I are, friends!
  7. Aware of his own limitations, would Goliath have engaged in a fight with David? Goliath would have surely declined—unless, of course, he was not debilitated at all and quite confident (100% positive) that he would beat David (and Israel) with very little effort! Goliath did not have mobility, agility, or stability problems. If anything, David was the one who appeared physically disadvantaged—mostly unarmed (just a sling and a pebble), unprotected (no armor), untrained (a young man), et cetera. No wonder Goliath teased David!

CONCLUSION

Goliath did have some medical (or genetic) problem that caused his huge stature—it was hereditary (2 Samuel 21:15-22). However, he was well enough to fight. He could see details on the battlefield—the opponent, the face and weapons of the opponent, and so on. He could wear and carry such heavy military equipment. From a naturalistic standpoint, David really did not have a chance of winning. If Goliath was the epitome of military might, how did David win? David himself said it best, and we reply,
“Amen!”

“[45] Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. [46] This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. [47] And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands.”

“and HE will give you into our hands”

“[48] And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came, and drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. [49] And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. [50] So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David. [51] Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.”

Saints, please remember us in your monthly giving. You can donate securely here:  https://www.paypal.me/ShawnBrasseaux, or email me at arcministries@gmail.com. Do not forget about Bible Q&A booklets for sale at https://arcgraceministries.org/in-print/booklets-bible-q-a/. Thanks to all who give to and pray for us! 🙂

Also see:
» Could you explain, “From his shoulders and upward he was higher?”
» What are “emerods?”
» What was wrong with Leah’s eyes?

BIBLE CONTRADICTIONS / CONFUSING VERSES SIMPLIFIED, BIBLE VERSIONS AND MANUSCRIPTS, Could you explain “From his shoulders and upward he was higher...?”, Could you explain “From his shoulders and upward he was higher...?”, Could you explain “From his shoulders and upward he was higher...?”, JUST ASKING / CURIOUS QUESTIONS

Could you explain, “From his shoulders and upward he was higher…?”

COULD YOU EXPLAIN, “FROM HIS SHOULDERS AND UPWARD HE WAS HIGHER…?”

by Shawn Brasseaux

The Bible says in 1 Samuel 9:2, “And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.” What does it mean that Saul “from his shoulders and upward… was higher than any of the people?” Did he have some physical disfigurement? Let us search the Scriptures!

Some years ago, I read a complaint written by a King James Bible critic (another one such boastful “scholar,” of course). He argued that there were a number of problems with the Authorized Version. One verse he griped about was this description of (future Israeli king) Saul. He contended that the King James translators made it appear that Saul was deformed in some way about his head and shoulders. While the fellow never did explain what he meant, I suppose he was trying to say that the Authorized Version portrayed Saul as having a “giraffe neck?” Based on his words, he was not interested in the truth. He just wanted to argue. However, we ask in faith. What about this nebulous phrase—“from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people?”

If we keep on reading in the Bible text, we come across chapter 10, verse 23: “And they ran and fetched him thence: and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.” There is more detail here, please notice. Rather than just stopping at chapter 9, verse 2, we appeal to the Bible to supply us with extra information. In reference to Saul standing, “he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.” Saul’s physical appearance was accentuated when he stood. Could it be any clearer, friends? Is it so difficult to see? Israel’s King Saul was a very tall man!

Using just a little common sense, friends, it is not hard to figure out the meaning of, “from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.” We have no reason to believe that Saul had a giant head, a long neck, or any other physical disproportionality. First Samuel 10:23 reveals the answer. What made him unique was that he was a very tall man. Taller people literally stand above the crowd (I know from personal experience—“Hi, from high above!”). When a tall person stands in a crowd of average-sized people, seen from a distance, that individual’s head and shoulders seem to “float above” all the other heads. That is the Bible’s language concerning King Saul. He was so tall that his head and shoulders could be seen towering above the crowd of Jews of average height!

Also see:
» What are “emerods?”
» What does “fetch a compass” mean?
» What was wrong with Leah’s eyes?

JUST ASKING / CURIOUS QUESTIONS, What are “emerods?”

What are “emerods?”

WHAT ARE “EMERODS?”

by Shawn Brasseaux

“Emerods” appears eight times in the King James Bible text. What are they? Let us “search the Scriptures!”

The first occurrence is Deuteronomy 28:27, God warning Israel if she does not obey His laws by faith: “The LORD will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed.” In keeping with the principle of Bible hermeneutics known as “the law of first mention,” we see that “emerods” has a negative connotation. It sits in the context of various bodily illnesses, horrific medical conditions. This is the first clue in helping us identify “emerods.”

Notice the remaining instances in Scripture:

  • 1 Samuel 5:6: “But the hand of the LORD was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them with emerods, even Ashdod and the coasts thereof.”
  • 1 Samuel 5:9: “And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great destruction: and he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had emerods in their secret parts.”
  • 1 Samuel 5:12: “And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods: and the cry of the city went up to heaven.”
  • 1 Samuel 6:4: “Then said they, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him? They answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.” (This would not be a literal medical condition here, but rather physical representations made of gold.)
  • 1 Samuel 6:5: “Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice that mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.”
  • 1 Samuel 6:11: “And they laid the ark of the LORD upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their emerods.” (This would not be a literal medical condition here, but rather physical representations made of gold.)
  • 1 Samuel 6:17: “And these are the golden emerods which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering unto the LORD; for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Askelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;” (This would not be a literal medical condition here, but rather physical representations made of gold.)

According to Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary, “emerods” in Hebrew is either טְחֹר; tĕchor (#H2914) or עֹפֶל; `ophel (#H6076). The Hebrew root word rendered “emerods” carries the idea of “swelling” or “mound.” It is the “tower” of 2 Kings 5:24. It is the “fort” of Isaiah 32:14. It is the “strong hold” of Micah 4:8. So, it is becoming clear that “emerods” are some type of bodily affiction that resemble “towers” or “swellings.”

In light of what has gone before, the closest word to “emerods” with which we would be familiar is “tumors.” A “tumor” is “a swelling of a part of the body, generally without inflammation, caused by an abnormal growth of tissue, whether benign or malignant.” The following subentry is also found in The Oxford English Dictionary: “(archaic) a swelling of any kind.”

Without getting too graphic, we want to further comment on 1 Samuel 5:9: “they had emerods in their secret parts.” The “secret parts” are actually the genitals, so the idea here would be hemorrhoids. Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary (#H2914) says: “from an unused root meaning to burn; a boil or ulcer (from the inflammation), especially a tumor in the anus or pudenda (the piles):—emerod.” The Oxford English Dictionary defines “haemorrhoid” (U.S. “hemorrhoid”) as: “a swollen vein or group of veins in the region on the anus. Also (collectively) called piles.” Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon has the following: “pl. tumours of the anus, haemorrhoidal mariscae, protruding from the anus, protruding through tenesmus in voiding.” “Tenesmus” is defined as “a continual or recurrent inclination to evacuate the bowels, caused by disorder of the rectum or other illness.”

Like “the botch of Egypt,” “the emerods” are something you do not want!

Also see:
» What is “the botch of Egypt?”
» Why did Israel have to keep so many strange laws?
» What was wrong with Leah’s eyes?

JUST ASKING / CURIOUS QUESTIONS, What is “the botch of Egypt?”

What is “the botch of Egypt?”

WHAT IS “THE BOTCH OF EGYPT?”

by Shawn Brasseaux

Deuteronomy 28:27 is one of God’s warnings if the nation Israel fails to obey all His laws: “The LORD will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed.” What exactly is this “botch of Egypt?” We will search the Bible for answers!

We can begin by using context clues. The “botch of Egypt” is associated with other bodily afflictions; evidently, it is some type of infirmity.

According to Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary, the Hebrew word for “botch” is: (#H7822) שְׁחִין shechîyn, shekh-een’; “from an unused root probably meaning to burn; inflammation, i.e. an ulcer:—boil, botch.” On 11 occasions, our King James translators rendered it “boil.” They twice interpreted it as “botch.” The idea is some type of eruption of the skin, as in leprosy. Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon says: “shĕchiyn masc. an inflamed ulcer, a boil… used of a kind of black leprosy endemic in Egypt, called by physicians elephantiasis, from the skin being covered with black scales, and the feet swelling up.” (Do an internet search for images of “elephantiasis.” Horrific!!)

Notice how shechîyn was handled in the King James Bible—either “boil” or “botch:”

  • Exodus 9:9: “And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.”
  • Exodus 9:10: “And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast.”
  • Exodus 9:11: “And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians.”
  • Leviticus 13:18: “The flesh also, in which, even in the skin thereof, was a boil, and is healed….”
  • Leviticus 13:19: “And in the place of the boil there be a white rising, or a bright spot, white, and somewhat reddish, and it be shewed to the priest….”
  • Leviticus 13:20: “And if, when the priest seeth it, behold, it be in sight lower than the skin, and the hair thereof be turned white; the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a plague of leprosy broken out of the boil.”
  • Leviticus 13:23: “But if the bright spot stay in his place, and spread not, it is a burning boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.”
  • Deuteronomy 28:27: “The LORD will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed.”
  • Deuteronomy 28:35: “The LORD shall smite thee in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole of thy foot unto the top of thy head.”
  • 2 Kings 20:7: “And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.”
  • Job 2:7: “So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.”
  • Isaiah 38:21: “For Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaister upon the boil, and he shall recover.”

In Deuteronomy 28:27, when God warned unbelieving and disobedient Israel that He would strike them with “the botch of Egypt,” the reference to Egypt caused them to remember His harsh judgments on that nation some 40 years earlier. If Israel did not want to experience that horrible round of boils, skin disease of leprosy, they had better keep His laws! Fear of chastisement was their motivation to keep the Law!

Notice how God struck Egypt with this “botch” in Exodus 9:8-12, some four decades prior to Deuteronomy: “[8] And the LORD said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh. [9] And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains [inflammatory pustules or skin eruptions] upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt. [10] And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast. [11] And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians. [12] And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses.”

Also see:
» What are “emerods?”
» Why did Israel have to keep so many strange laws?
» What was wrong with Leah’s eyes?

DISPENSATIONAL BIBLE STUDY, JUST ASKING / CURIOUS QUESTIONS, What is the difference between a disciple and an apostle?, What is the difference between a disciple and an apostle?

What is the difference between a disciple and an apostle?

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DISCIPLE AND AN APOSTLE?

by Shawn Brasseaux

In Christian literature and sermons, we are constantly exposed to the terms “disciple” and “apostle.” What do these titles really mean though? How does the Bible define and use them? “For what saith the Scriptures?”

DISCIPLE

The word “disciple” (and its various forms) appears nearly 270 times in our King James Bible. In Greek, it is manthano, meaning “to learn or understand.” Our English word “mathematics” is derived from it.

“Disciple” first appears in Scripture in Matthew 10:24: “The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.” As a “disciple” would follow his “master,” so a “servant” would obey his “lord.” A disciple is one who follows a master (or teacher) in order to learn or receive training. In other words, disciple is another word for student. Stated another way, the word “disciple” is a general reference to a student or follower of Jesus Christ. A disciple is willing to hear the Lord Jesus Christ, and His servants, preach and teach His Word. This is in stark contrast to unbelievers—namely, skeptics, Bible rejecters and scoffers. There is one instance of “disciple” in the “Old Testament,” which we will look at without commenting. Isaiah 8:16 says: “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.” The rest of the occurrences in the Bible are in the “New Testament.” We will get to them now, limiting comments for brevity’s sake.

We read about Joseph of Arimathaea being “Jesus’ disciple” (Matthew 27:57; John 19:38). The Pharisees ridiculed and harassed the blind man whom Jesus had just healed: “Thou art his [Jesus’] disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples” (John 9:28). We read about “the disciple whom Jesus loved” in John 19:26-27, John 20:2, and John 21:7,20. The writer of the Book of John called himself “the disciple which testifieth of these things” (John 21:24). Ananias was a “disciple” of Jesus (Acts 9:10). After his salvation, Saul of Tarsus (Apostle Paul) attempted to meet with other “disciples” (Acts 9:26). Timothy was a “disciple” (Acts 16:1). Acts 21:16 speaks of “disciples of Caesarea.” There are general references to Jesus’ “disciples” in Matthew 5:1, Matthew 8:21, Matthew 8:23, et cetera. The term appears throughout the Books of Matthew through John, as well as the Book of Acts.

It is noteworthy that the disciples of Jesus Christ were first called “Christians” in Antioch of Syria. Acts 11:26 says: “And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” We see how “disciples” refers to followers of the Apostle Paul’s ministry as well—Acts 11:29, Acts 13:52, Acts 14:20-22, Acts 14:28, Acts 15:10, Acts 18:23, Acts 18:27, et cetera. Its last appearance is Acts 20:1, never being mentioned in the Pauline epistles, however.

Moreover, there are special “disciples.” Notice them mentioned four times in Scripture:

  • Matthew 10:1-2: “[1] And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. [2] Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;” (Notice their title changed from “disciples” in verse 1 to “apostles” in verse 2.)
  • Matthew 11:1: “And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities.”
  • Matthew 20:17: “And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them,”
  • Luke 9:1: “Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.”

These four references transition us into discussing the office of an apostle.

APOSTLE

The term “apostle” (and its related forms) appears some 80 times—only in the “New Testament.” First and foremost, these would be the “twelve disciples” mentioned in Matthew 10:1, Matthew 11:1, Matthew 20:17, and Luke 9:1 (what we just read). “Apostle” is from the Greek apostolos, meaning “sent away from.” The idea is preserved in Matthew 10:1-6: “[1] And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. [2] Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; [3] Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; [4] Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. [5] These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: [6] But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Luke 6:13 adds: “And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles….” Notice how Jesus took the disciples and, then out of them, He chose 12 Apostles. In the Bible, all disciples are not apostles, but all apostles are disciples. The Apostles were given special authority of God—over sickness, evil spirits, and so on. They were also to preach the Gospel valid for their dispensation. Let us look at some verses.

Matthew 10:7-8, for example: “[7] And as ye [12 Apostles] go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. [8] Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.” In addition to miracle-working power, the Apostles were granted a teaching office, as Acts 2:42-43 tells us: “[42] And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. [43] And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.” Acts 4:33 adds: “And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.” Also Acts 5:12: “And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.” And 2 Corinthians 12:12 (Paul writing): “Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.”

Peter claimed apostolic authority in his two epistles. First Peter 1:1: “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia….” And, 2 Peter 1:1: “Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ….”

Later, years after the 12 Apostles were ordained, Barnabas and Paul (Saul of Tarsus) are called “Apostles.” Acts 14:14: “Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,….” In Romans 11:13, Paul says: “For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office.”

The reason why Paul claimed to be an Apostle was because of what Jesus Christ had told him in Acts chapter 9 (historically). We do not read about what happened in chapter 9 until chapter 26: “[16] But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; [17] Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, [18] To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”

Paul claims to be an apostle throughout his epistles, especially in the introductory verses—Romans 1:1, Romans 1:5, 1 Corinthians 1:1, 1 Corinthians 4:9, 1 Corinthians 9:1-2, 1 Corinthians 15:9, 2 Corinthians 1:1, 2 Corinthians 11:5, 2 Corinthians 12:11, Galatians 1:1, Galatians 2:8, Ephesians 1:1, Colossians 1:1, 1 Thessalonians 2:6, 1 Timothy 1:1, 1 Timothy 2:7, 2 Timothy 1:1, 2 Timothy 1:11, and Titus 1:1. He does not do this in Philippians, 2 Thessalonians, or Philemon.

Under Paul (Romans 11:13—“the apostle of the Gentiles”) were various secondary apostles in the Church the Body of Christ. These apostles are mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:28-29, Ephesians 2:20, Ephesians 3:5, and Ephesians 4:11. All of those spiritual gifts faded when the Bible canon was completed about 2,000 years ago (see Ephesians 4:11-13 and 1 Corinthians 13:8-13).

SUPPLEMENTAL #1: JESUS CHRIST, THE APOSTLE OF ISRAEL

As noted earlier, “apostle” is from the Greek apostolos, and means “sent away from.” While we normally do not consider Jesus Christ as an Apostle, the Bible says He is. Notice Hebrews 3:1: “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus….” If “apostle” means “sent one,” and it does, then exactly who sent “Christ Jesus the Apostle?”

On nearly 40 occasions, the Lord Jesus Christ spoke of “him that sent me” (Matthew 10:40; Mark 9:37; Luke 4:18; Luke 9:48; Luke 10:16; John 4:34; John 5:24,30,36-37; John 6:38; John 6:39-40,44,57; John 7:16,28-29,33; John 8:16,18,26,29,42; John 9:4; John 11:42; John 12:44-45,49; John 13:20; John 14:24; John 15:21; John 16:5; John 17:18,21,23,25; John 20:21). This is the idea of an apostle—a “sent one.” Jesus said, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 15:24). Who sent Jesus Christ to Israel? He tells us 15 times in Scripture:

  • John 5:30: “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.”
  • John 5:36: “But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.”
  • John 5:37: “And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.”
  • John 6:39: “And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.”
  • John 6:44: “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
  • John 6:57: “As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.”
  • John 8:16: “And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.”
  • John 8:18: “I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.”
  • John 8:29: “And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.”
  • John 8:42: “Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.”
  • John 12:49: “For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.”
  • John 14:24: “He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.”
  • John 17:21: “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.”
  • John 17:25: “O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.”
  • John 20:21: “Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” (Notice this last verse. We will use it as a “jumping-off” point for a further development.)

God the Father designated His Son, Jesus Christ, as His Spokesman—namely, Jesus Christ speaks on behalf of the Godhead (made up of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). Colossians 2:9 says: “For in [Christ] dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” Since God the Father sent Jesus Christ to Israel during His earthly ministry, whomever refused to hear the words of Christ was actually refusing to hear the words of Father God! But, there is more.

The Lord said to His 12 Apostles in Matthew 10:40: “He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.” And, John 13:20: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.” Whoever rejected the preaching of an Apostle of Jesus Christ, rejected the doctrine of Christ—nay, they ultimately rejected Father God’s Word. Remember, Paul is our “apostle,” God’s spokesman to us Gentiles (Romans 11:13). If we reject Paul, we reject Jesus Christ who sent Paul to us, and we reject God the Father who sent Jesus Christ to speak to us on behalf of the Godhead!

SUPPLEMENTAL #2: FALSE APOSTLES, SATAN’S IMITATIONS

Friend, in keeping with his devious nature, Satan has counterfeits at his beckon call. Beware! Whatever God does, Satan mimics it. Beware! From Genesis through Revelation, Satan copies God as much as possible and as closely as possible. Beware! The Bible is very instructive at this point. Beware! We need to pay close attention to the passage we will now quote. Beware! Second Corinthians 11:13-15: “[13] For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. [14] And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. [15] Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”

I will tell you something that may very well shock you. Today, there are thousands upon thousands of “ministers” who are not serving the God of the Bible. Sure, they talk about “Jesus,” “grace,” “God,” “the Bible,” “the Spirit of God,” “holiness,” “Christian living,” “the Lord,” “salvation,” “truth,” “righteousness,” “evil,” and so on. They claim, “The Lord wanted me to tell you this…. I have a word from God to deliver to you from the pulpit!” However, they are not what they appear to be. Remember the passage we just read! We should not be surprised that looks are deceiving; Satan is “the father of lies” (John 8:44).

Satan knows the Bible better than all of us put together, and yet, would we let Satan teach us the Bible? The Bible must be “studied rightly divided” (2 Timothy 2:15). Most preachers are not doing this. Beware! They are preaching Law instead of Grace; they are preaching “Galatianism” (Law and Grace) instead of PURE GRACE. Beware! They are confusing the Church the Body of Christ with the nation Israel. Beware! They are mixing prophecy and mystery. Beware! This is why people get confused concerning the Bible. Beware! It is not being used God’s way—dispensationally delivered and believed. Beware! They claim to be sent by God, but they are harming God’s people because they are mishandling God’s Word. Beware!

Brethren, let us take our stand by faith, as English-speaking people, on the Authorized Version King James Bible. More specifically, let us take our stand by faith in the principles of grace that God’s Apostle to us Gentiles, Paul, wrote in the 13 Bible Books of Romans through Philemon. They are the standard whereby we gauge truth and error. As we better familiarize ourselves with them, we will see who is speaking on God’s behalf and who is not, who is following God and who is not!

“If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.”
—the Apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 14:37)

Also see:
» What is the “that which is perfect” in 1 Corinthians 13:10?
» What is the difference between a minister, a pastor, and an evangelist?
» Was an apostle merely one who had seen Christ’s resurrection?

JUST ASKING / CURIOUS QUESTIONS, Was an apostle merely one who had seen Christ’s resurrection?

Was an apostle merely one who had seen Christ’s resurrection?

WAS AN APOSTLE MERELY ONE WHO HAD SEEN CHRIST’S RESURRECTION?

by Shawn Brasseaux

It is commonly believed and taught that the only qualification for a man to be an apostle was that he was an eyewitness of Jesus Christ’s resurrection. However, this is not a complete picture. Let us compare Scripture with Scripture to see what we are missing.

The qualifications to be an apostle—specifically, Judas’ replacement—are listed in Acts 1:21-22. Notice: “[21] Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, [22] Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.” Verse 22 is often misread. It is not saying that someone who had witnessed Christ’s resurrection could become an apostle. Over 500 believers saw the resurrected Christ (1 Corinthians 15:6)—they could not qualify for Judas’ vacated apostleship. An apostle had to have followed Jesus Christ all the way from John’s baptism (beginning of His earthly ministry) up until His ascension (conclusion of His earthly ministry).

Jesus Christ had said of His apostles on the night of His death: “And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning” (John 15:27). And, Luke 22:28-30: “[28] Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. [29] And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; [30] That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” The Apostle Peter took that information and prayed what he did in Acts 1:21-22.

The function of an apostle was to bear witness of Christ’s resurrection. We do not question this because the Bible is very clear on this point. Acts 1:22 says, “must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.” Acts 2:32 affirms, “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.” Acts 3:15 emphasizes: “…the Prince of Life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.” However, an apostle was a witness of all of Jesus’ earthly ministry—from John’s water baptism in Matthew chapter 3 until Jesus’ ascension into Heaven in Acts chapter 1. The point was that an apostle could verify all of what Jesus taught and did throughout the three years of His earthly ministry.

SUPPLEMENTAL: WHAT ABOUT PAUL?

By now, you are probably wondering about Paul. Was he an apostle? Yes, the Bible says he was an apostle throughout his epistles (Romans 1:1; Romans 11:13; 1 Corinthians 1:1; et cetera). However, Paul was not Judas’ replacement as often assumed. Paul saw the resurrected Christ, 1 Corinthians 15:8-10 says. Yet, he was not one of the 12 Apostles. Paul was separate and distinct from the 12 Apostles.

Also see:
» Who was Judas’ successor—Matthias or Paul?
» Can you compare Peter’s ministry and Paul’s ministry?
» Why did Jesus select evil Judas Iscariot to be an apostle?

JUST ASKING / CURIOUS QUESTIONS, THE NATION ISRAEL, Who or what are the “Chemarims?”, Who or what are the “Chemarims?”

Who or what are the “Chemarims?”

WHO OR WHAT ARE THE “CHEMARIMS?”

by Shawn Brasseaux

The Prophet Zephaniah, quoting the LORD God, wrote the following in chapter 1 of his little book: “[4] I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests; [5] And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham; [6] And them that are turned back from the LORD; and those that have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for him.” Who or what are these “Chemarims” of verse 4?

Unfortunately, the term only appears this one time in the English Bible text. However, context clues provide us with a general definition. The word “Chemarims” sits in-between the terms “Baal” and “priests.” According to secular history, Baal was the name of chief god/idol of the Canaanites, Israel’s Gentile pagan neighbors. The Jews increasingly adopted this and other heathen religions once they entered the Promised Land (see Judges 2:11-13). We thus see that “Chemarims” is related to pagan religion.

We read some interesting bits in Strong’s Hebrew Bible Dictionary. The basic Hebrew word translated “Chemarim” is kamar, elsewhere rendered “priests” or “idolatrous priests” in our King James Bible. Dr. Strong defines it as: “properly, an ascetic (as if shrunk with self-maceration), i.e. an idolatrous priest (only in plural):—Chemarims (idolatrous) priests.” Notice the following:

  • 2 Kings 23:5: “And he put down the idolatrous priests [kamarim], whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven.”
  • Hosea 10:5: “The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Bethaven: for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests [kamarim], thereof that rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof, because it is departed from it.”
  • Zephaniah 1:4: “I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests;”

Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon adds that this word kamar in Syriac “is prop.[erly] blackness, sadness, and as a concrete, one who goes about in black attire, mourning; hence, an ascetic, a priest.”

Taking all of this into account, “Chemarims” (notice the plural ending “–ims”) were evidently pagan, idolatrous priests notable for wearing black robes. By the way, the word kamar is translated “black” (as in “scorched”) in Lamentations 5:10. Israel allowed this false religious system—led by Chemarims—to infiltrate them many hundreds of years prior to Zephaniah. Thus, the LORD God through Zephaniah preached that judgment was coming upon Israel (technically the Southern Kingdom, Judah) because of her rank, persistent idolatry. Zephaniah’s prophecy was fulfilled when the fifth course of judgment began. The Babylonians first came around 600 B.C., destroyed Jerusalem, her false religion, and her Temple, and the Babylonian armies took Judah captive (exile) to Babylon. As Zephaniah had warned, JEHOVAH God indeed “cut off [destroyed] the name [authority] of the Chemarims with the priests!”

My friend, one last thing—would you happen to know of any people in religion today who wear black robes? (Interesting, huh?!)

Also see:
» What does “Lord of Sabaoth” mean?
» Why does Acts 2:35 use “foes” but Psalm 110:1 use “enemies?”
» What are “phylacteries?”

“If God peradventure will give them repentance…?”, “If God peradventure will give them repentance…?”, “If God peradventure will give them repentance…?”, CALVINISM, DISPENSATIONAL BIBLE STUDY, JUST ASKING / CURIOUS QUESTIONS

“If God peradventure will give them repentance…?”

“IF GOD PERADVENTURE WILL GIVE THEM REPENTANCE…?”

by Shawn Brasseaux

What should we make of 2 Timothy 2:25? “In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;” That latter half—the conditional statement beginning with “if God peradventure”—puzzles some Bible readers. Should we conclude that God will reveal His truths to some but will hide it from others? Is He not unfair? Why does He not want all people to come to the knowledge of the truth? Or, does He? Then, what about this verse?

Friend, have you ever noticed how some people appeared to have/know and believe the truth, to be on the right track concerning sound Bible teaching, but then suddenly went off into apostasy? Sure. We all have. Maybe they went to a Bible-believing church for years, seemingly maturing in the Scriptures. They professed Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. Perhaps they even taught Sunday School or sang in the choir. Then, one day, you found out that they returned to their old denomination, or perhaps threw out the Bible and God altogether and went back into “the world!” Not long ago, I dealt with Christians who were astounded that their friends and relatives who had attended their Bible churches and home Bible studies for years, suddenly went back to their cults (former denominations)! This should not shock or disappoint us because 2 Timothy 2:25 was God’s comment on these events thousands of years before they happened!

We start at 2 Timothy 2:24 and read to the end of the chapter: “[24] And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, [25] In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; [26] And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.”

The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul said “the servant of the Lord must not strive,” or pick fights and argue (acting combative). God’s man or woman should “be gentle unto all men [people], apt [able] to teach, patient [longsuffering]” (verse 24). We should make every attempt possible to reach Christians and non-Christians alike with the truth of God’s word rightly divided. We should be presenting a clear Gospel message to the lost (1 Corinthians 15:3-4—“Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day”), and sound Bible teaching to the saved (all Scripture taught in light of Pauline doctrine). Opposition will arise, so we should be patient, trying to slowly turn them around and dealing with them as long as they are willing to hear. Some cases will take much longer than others. Whenever they start resisting, however, we need to back away and respect their free will. We need to leave them alone, letting them come back to us (hopefully, they will have a better attitude next time).

Verse 25 says, “In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;….” Here is our “problem verse.” We should “in meekness”—or humility rather than pride—“instruct those that oppose themselves.” Those who oppose themselves are Christians who live contrary to the grace of God. They do not live out of the identity and resources God gave them in Christ. No, they are so works-oriented, so denominationally minded, that they refuse to be renewed by dispensational Bible truth day by day. They are corrupted by human wisdom, and are thus void of God’s wisdom. How it quenches/hinders the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19) and grieves Him (Ephesians 4:30) because He cannot work in their lives! Lost people “oppose themselves” in that they are living contrary to how God designed a human to live. They should be glorifying their Creator, not living for themselves. (Christians should be living as God designed Christians to live, and lost people should become Christians so they can live as God designed humans to live!)

We instruct those we reach in the ministry, attempting to reform their thinking first (and behavior will be corrected). However, it is not guaranteed that they will respond positively to that Word of God’s grace. Some will outright reject it (some will make that known most violently and loudly!). The “educated” philosophers in Athens laughed at Paul’s “gossip” preaching about Christ’s resurrection (Acts 17:32). Idolaters in Ephesus incited a massive riot that nearly killed Paul (Acts 19:23-41).

Some will keep it momentarily, and then toss it. The Galatians believed God’s Word through Paul at first, but then abandoned it. This was also true of the Corinthians. Others will believe it and stay with it for an extended time, actually maturing in it. You can see that in the Thessalonians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. Eventually, the “Asians” (citizens of Asia Minor, modern Turkey—cities of Ephesus, Colosse, Troas, et cetera) abandoned it. Paul, writing at the end of his ministry and life: “This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes” (2 Timothy 1:15). This, you should recognize, is part of the epistle where we find 2 Timothy 2:25!

“In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;….” That conditional part is explained as follows—those in our audience may change their mind to the point where they acknowledge the Bible truth we shared, or they may not change their mind and therefore retain their erroneous notions. God’s will for them is the first outcome—“…God our Saviour; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). It is God’s will that all individuals trust His only begotten Son as their personal Saviour. It is also His will that all come to the knowledge of the truth (especially Christians). However, He will not force His Word on either group.

Do not read 2 Timothy 2:25 as though God may choose to enlighten them or He may not choose to enlighten them. No. The condition depends on them, not Him! They may want the truth (and He will respect their free will by teaching them through us preaching His Word), or they may not want His Word (and He will leave them in their spiritual blindness). Remember, the words of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself: “If any man will do his [Father God’s] will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” (John 7:17). Jesus Christ declared you can know God’s will if you want to do His will! Friend, that applies to Christians and non-Christians alike! Father God wants lost people saved, and saved people edified. Do we? Do you?

Second Timothy 2:25 is a great encouragement in that it shows us that even when we do as much as we can to spread dispensational Bible truths, some will deny it and/or abandon it as though we never uttered a word to them. It is not that we did not share enough verses with them. (If the first verse did not convince them, the others would not have either!) It is not that we did not make the Word of God plain enough. (If they had questions, they would have asked them in sincerity!)

All people, saved and lost, are to some degree resistant to learning from God’s Word. Even as grace believers, we are not always 100% engaged while reading and studying it. Sometimes, we are reading verses through denominational eyeglasses, causing them to say something they do not say. There are traditional ideas from our past that are hard to break from and thus still cloud our thinking. We find ourselves in Satan’s snare, fulfilling his will of hiding God’s truth from others and ourselves. The good news is that, if we find ourselves in such a predicament, there is a solution! We had better find a servant of the Lord who will teach us and guide us into the doctrine of God’s grace!

Second Timothy 2:24-26: “[24] And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, [25] In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; [26] And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.”

Also see:
» Why do some people get angry when we share right division?
» How long should I keep witnessing to the same person?
» What is dispensational Bible study?

How long was Christ’s earthly ministry?, How long was Christ’s earthly ministry?, JUST ASKING / CURIOUS QUESTIONS, THE NATION ISRAEL

How long was Christ’s earthly ministry?

HOW LONG WAS CHRIST’S EARTHLY MINISTRY?

by Shawn Brasseaux

Throughout the 20 centuries of church history, multitudes of erroneous teachings have cropped up. Some of the most ridiculous religious beliefs we hear about today can often be found in a primitive form in the days of the “Church Fathers” (the theologians who lived in the decades and centuries immediately after the Apostles). One of these strange teachings is that Christ’s earthly ministry was merely one year long. Is there any merit to that claim? Does the Bible say one way or the other?

We begin by understanding that each of the Four Gospel Records—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—serves a special purpose. They are not to be combined into one continuous Book or narrative (as some “Church Fathers” did). Rather, they are to be respected as four distinct views/presentations of the same Lord Jesus Christ. These Four Gospel Accounts do not read word-for-word, and they do not always report the same statements or events. Moreover, when we compare all four accounts, John’s stands out as quite unique. Matthew, Mark, and Luke usually read very closely with each other. Thus, they are collectively known as “the Synoptic Gospels.” In stark contrast, John’s Gospel Record is largely “new” material, reporting what the Holy Spirit purposely withheld from the Synoptic Gospels.

John’s Gospel Record stands out in another particular instance. By furnishing us with the Book of John, the Holy Spirit provided us with “markers” or “milestones” on Israel’s religious calendar. We can identify times of year, and thus extrapolate approximately how much time elapsed between Christ’s water baptism and His crucifixion. Let me show you how we can use the Bible to establish a rough estimate of the duration of Christ’s earthly ministry.

THE PASSOVERS FOUND IN JOHN’S GOSPEL RECORD

Notice the religious-calendar “benchmarks” as found in John’s Gospel Record:

  • Passover 1 — John 2:13: “And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.” As the opening verses of the chapter indicate, Jesus’ ministry actually began before this Passover. This was springtime.
  • Passover 2 — John 5:1: “After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.” While Scripture does not explicitly identify this as “Passover,” we can infer that it is because John employs “a feast of the Jews” as indicative of Passover in John 6:4. This would have been springtime.
  • Passover 3 — John 6:4: “And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.” John 7:2 refers to “the Feast of Tabernacles” (autumn, early October). John 10:22 speaks of “the Feast of the Dedication” (today called “Hanukah”) and “winter.” In other words, John chapter 6 was in springtime, John chapter 7 was in autumn, and John chapter 10 was in wintertime.
  • Passover 4 — John 11:55: “And the Jews’ passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves.” Jesus died around this Passover, as the succeeding chapters of John bear out. This was in springtime.

At the bare minimum—even if one were to argue John 5:1 is not clearly labeled in Scripture as “Passover”—Jesus’ earthly ministry covered three “springtimes” and three Passovers. Three Passovers would mean at least two years. If it covered four Passovers, that would mean at least three years. But, the Holy Spirit did not leave us to wonder exactly what number it was. We can briefly survey the Four Gospel Records to find additional information to help us.

Luke chapter 13 is very useful in settling this matter for us: “[6] He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. [7] Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? [8] And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: [9] And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.”

Jesus Christ is talking about His Heavenly Father sending Him to the nation Israel to find faith and righteous works. How long did the “certain man” say he had come looking for fruit on the fig tree? Why, three years (verse 7)! He found no fruit, of course, for Israel was too stuck in her religious goodness to recognize her evil nature and her failure to generate works pleasing in God’s sight.

According to Luke 3:23, “And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli….” The Lord, in order to serve as a priest over Israel (Hebrews 3:1; cf. Zechariah 6:13), had to be at least 30 years of age because that was the minimum age of a Levitical priest as per the Mosaic Law (Numbers 4:3). Our Lord Jesus Christ had at least three years of earthly ministry, dying (and resurrecting, of course) at age 33.

Also see:
» Should we use the Book of John to evangelize?
» Are Matthew through John “Old Testament” or “New Testament” books?
» Were there five crosses on Calvary?