An audio lesson.
Seeing how the author of Hebrews uses logic and reason to identify a type from the Old Testament.
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The Book of Hebrews Identifies a Type
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Category Archives: Using the Bible
But That’s Just Figurative, How Can We Believe It?
An audio lesson.
Answering the objections to figurative language in Scripture.
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Keys to Prophecy: God’s Choices Overrule
An old saying is, Man proposes, God disposes. Or again, Duty is ours, outcomes are God’s. There is a great deal of truth in both of these sayings. Paul puts it well.
“Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”
1Cor 1:25 WEB
David was very aware of God’s
overruling
power.
He says of God’s oversight of our world,
“2 You know my sitting down and my rising up.
You perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word on my tongue,
But, behold, Yahweh, you know it altogether.”
Psa 139:2-4 WEB
And he speaks of God overruling what we might want/wish/will to do.
“5
You hem me in behind and before.
You laid your hand on me.
6 This knowledge is beyond me.
It’s lofty.
I can’t
attain it. ”
Psa 139:5-6 WEB
“Your
eyes saw my body.
In your book they were all written,
The
days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there were none of
them. ”
Psa 139:16 WEB
These things do NOT indicate we have no choices.
Rather that God can and does often overrule us. We might choose one thing, and God can make our desire to be fulflled or futile, and might cause other things.
“I
will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place;
and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their
enemies, … ”
Jer 19:7 WEB
Yes, we can cause things, and so can God. God’s choices are more all encompassing. They have greater depth and effect. Anyway you take it, God can make choices beyond what you and I can choose. There is no possibility of outthinking Him.
“There
is no wisdom nor understanding
Nor counsel against
Yahweh.”
Prov 21:30 WEB
“or
Yahweh of Hosts has purposed, and who shall annul it? and his hand is
stretched out, and who shall turn it back?”
Isa 14:27 WEB
So man has much freedom, but not unlimited freedom.
Man has choices, but not unlimited choices, as really we all already know. Man has power and powers, but not unlimited power, and we can be and often are overruled at many points.
So we are warned.
“13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow let’s go into this city, and spend a year there, trade, and make a profit.” … 15 For you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will both live, and do this or that.” 16 But now you glory in your boasting. All such boasting is evil.”
Jas 4:13, 15-16 WEB
Instead of being determined to push our will on God, we should rather pray as Jesus Himself prayed.
“saying,
“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless,
not my will, but yours, be done.””
Lk 22:42 WEB
WEB
is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the
original ASV American Standard Version 1901
Keys to Prophecy: Men Make Choices
Some say that men cannot really make choices, not real choices, and that man can only chose what God wants him to chose. These views are widespread, and would indicate that man is only a machine that can react, but that cannot really choose anything!
Yes, it is true that God is sovereign.
In fact He is,
… the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;”
1Tim 6:15 WEB
Even so, Scripture indicates
man has choices,
real choices, to make.
Solomon says to us all,
“How
much better it is to get wisdom than gold!
Yes, to get
understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.”
Prov
16:16 WEB
Moses pleads with Israel in his own day.
“I
call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have
set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse:
therefore choose life, that you may live, you and your
seed;”WEB
Deut 30:19 WEB
Or again, Joshua pled with Israel to make good choices so that they might live.
“If
it seem evil to you to serve Yahweh, choose you this day whom you
will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were
beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you
dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve Yahweh.”
Josh
24:15 WEB
Then when they make a choice, Joshua witnesses that they have made an obligation to Yahweh.
“Joshua said to the people, You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen you Yahweh, to serve him. They said, We are witnesses.”
Josh 24:22 WEB
David said he had chosen good things.
“30 I have chosen the way of truth.
I have set my heart on your law.
173 Let your hand be ready to help me,
For I have chosen your precepts.”
Psa 119:20, 173 WEB
Also when they make bad
choices, Scripture treats these
things as having real
consequences.
In the book of Judges Israel had decided to turn away from the true and living God. This led to terrible situations, which they needed help to get out of. However, they are taunted with their choices.
“Go and cry to the gods which you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress.”
Judg 10:14 WEB
Why do evil things happen to men?
“Because they hated knowledge,
And didn’t choose the fear of Yahweh.”
Prov 1:29 WEB
Everywhere man is viewed as
able to
make meaningful choices.
“What man is he who fears Yahweh?
He shall instruct him in the way that he shall choose.”
Psa 25:12 WEB
“Don’t envy the man of violence.
Choose none of his ways.”
Prov 3:31 WEB
However, man is not viewed as having unlimited choices. Man is a limited creature with limited choices. Few of us would choose the shortcomings or weaknesses we have. Man has choices, real choices, but he is not omnipotent.
WEB
is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the
original ASV American Standard Version 1901
Keys to Prophecy: God Makes Choices
God chose a place for Israel to worship Him.
“But to the place which Yahweh your God shall choose out of all your tribes, to put his name there, even to his habitation shall you seek, and there you shall come;”
Deut 12:5 WEB
Then when God made a choice, Israel was obligated to perform all of their formal worship in that place.
“Only your holy things which you have, and your vows, you shall take, and go to the place which Yahweh shall choose:”
Deut 12:26 WEB
Also God has the right to choose who will be allowed
to approach Him for worship.
“and he spoke to Korah and to all his company, saying, In the morning Yahweh will show who are his, and who is holy, and will cause him to come near to him: even him whom he shall choose will he cause to come near to him.”
Num 16:5 WEB
We might compare it to our being able to choose who will come into our house to visit with us, so God has the right and does choose who can approach Him. In the test that followed in Numers 16, the presumptuous Korah was rejected as a priest, and he and all his house then entered Sheol alive, for their trying to push their choices on God!
And chose a special family for His Christ.
“Moreover he rejected the tent of Joseph,
And didn’t choose the tribe of Ephraim,
68 But chose the tribe of Judah,
Mount Zion which he loved.”
Psa 78:67-68 WEB
He can do that. If we can make decisions, God surely can.
“He also chose David his servant,
And took him from the sheepfolds;”
Psa 78:70 WEB
Then from that family Yahweh will bring His special One, His Messiah (Hebrew), His Christ (Greek).
“Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delights: I have put my Spirit on him; he will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.”
Isa 42:1 WEB
And of course, He did.
At a time, a still future time, God can “the second time recover” the Jews.
Of course the first time that God recovered the Jews from “Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath,” was in the time of Ezra of Nehemiah. However, before even that first time happened, Isaiah foretold that God would recover the Jews a second time!
“It shall happen in that day, that the Lord will set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, who shall remain, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.”
Isa 11:11 WEB
He can do that, He can decide that, and perform whatever He wishes.
And God choses the time when He will judge
the heavens and the earth.
“When I choose the appointed time,
I will judge blamelessly.”
Psa 75:2 WEB
God makes choices.
WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901
Keys to Prophecy: God Works in Our Lives, Part III of III
God makes choices concerning our lives.
This is reflected in many ways and in many passages, such as,
“Only,
as the Lord has distributed to each man, as God has called each, so
let him walk. So I command in all the assemblies.”
1Cor 7:17 WEB
God gives one man, one job, and another man another job. Our tasks and locations are not accidental. We should do the best we can with whatever God has given us to do.
Then of course Jesus specifically says.
“You
didn’t choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you,
that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain;
that whatever you will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it
to you.”
Jn 15:16 WEB
He is saying, quite contrary to many of our instincts, especially in modern day America, that HE does the choosing, and further that these things have an impact on our behavior, and our reception.
“If
you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you
are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world,
therefore the world hates you.”
Jn 15:19 WEB
And God has a definite
perspective on who
pleases or displeases Him.
“27
but God chose the foolish things of the world that he might
put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the
world, that he might put to shame the things that are strong; 28
and God chose the lowly things of the world, and the things
that are despised, and the things that are not, that he might bring
to nothing the things that are: ”
1Cor 1:27-28 WEB
Or again, listen to the apostle James.
“Listen,
my beloved brothers. Didn’t God choose those who are poor
in this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which
he promised to those who love him?”
Jas 2:5 WEB
And pride and arrogance God hates.
“Likewise,
you younger ones, be subject to the elder. Yes, all of you gird
yourselves with humility, to subject yourselves to one another; for
“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
1Pe 5:5 WEB
So now we know a little better, how to appeal to God.
One day God will decide, will
choose, that the
Great prostitute, Babylon the Great, the
great
the religio-economic-political
power of our age … should be
destroyed for her sins.
And God will assign one of His great enemies, the beast and ten kings to that task. He can do that at His will.
“For
God has put in their hearts to do what he has in mind, and to
be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the
words of God should be accomplished.”
Rev 17:17 WEB
God can put ideas into the heads of even those who hate Him, and arrange it so that they serve His purposes.
It is important to read and study what God says, even in prophecy.
WEB
is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the
original ASV American Standard Version 1901
Keys to Prophecy: God Works in Our Lives, Part II of III
God does “intervene” into our affairs.
That is the basis of our prayers.
“7
“Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and
it will be opened for you. 8 For everyone who asks receives. He who
seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.”
Mtt 7:7-8 WEB
Some call this “miraculous” and want to deny its existence.
First let me point out that miraculous is not really a Bible word. The normal Bible words for these things are the words “signs,” “wonders,” and “powers;” and sometimes men translate such words as “miracles” in our translations. Scripture uses such words to describe God’s actions that appear in ways that are undeniably from God.
Also Scripture clearly recognize that God may favor us and make things “go our way,” or even at times oppose us, all with no clear indication of the source.
The New Oxford American Dictionary defines the adjective “miraculous” this way:
“occurring through divine or supernatural intervention, or manifesting such power …”
This definition makes ALL of God’s actions “miraculous.” In a commonsense way, this is not true, even in Scripture. We may pray for a job, and God may arrange it, all with no visible manifestations of spectacular power.
Many events in history (yes even secular history), or in nature, or in day to day events are the product of God’s interventions, and make plain power and decisions beyond what is humanly possible. The includes everything from the birth of a child to the violence of a tornado, to the exploding of a supernova.
This does NOT mean that you or
I can deploy
God’s power as if we were Elijah deciding
when
it will rain, or Peter telling a a lame
beggar to arise and walk.
You and I cannot deploy rain clouds over North America, but God can, and may in response to our prayers. The apostles and prophets had special powers from God which we do not have.
But God’s power still exists and works in our world all the time, and we can ask for His help. And His answer is,
“If
you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you
will ask whatever you desire,
and it will be done
for you.”
Jn
15:7 WEB
And how powerful might this be?
“20 Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to him be the glory in the assembly and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. ”
Eph 3:20-21 WEB
What then should we do?
We should study God’s word, prophecy and all, so that we might understand God’s intentions in the world, and then make our requests, as being in line with what God wants in both the overall situations on earth, and also in line with what God desires for our individual lives.
“In
nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with
thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”
Phil 4:6
WEB
We should then pray and not faint, Lk 18:1.
WEB
is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the
original ASV American Standard Version 1901
Keys to Prophecy: God Works in Our Lives, Part I of III
God works in many everyday things in our lives, and it is He who does these things and not we ourselves, or an ambiguous “nature” that does these things.
“… For
he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends
rain on the just and the unjust.”
Mtt 5:45 WEB
These are not just random happenings. God makes, He sends. Also this does not imply that He may not at some point or other makes specific moves to assist us or to correct us. The book of Job also speaks of God using the weather in various ways.
“9 Out of its chamber comes the storm,
And cold out of the north.
10 By the breath of God, ice is given,
And the breadth of the waters is frozen.
11 Yes, he loads the thick cloud with moisture.
He spreads abroad the cloud of his lightning.
12 It is turned round about by his guidance,
That they may do whatever he commands them
On the surface of the habitable world,
13 Whether it is for correction, or for his land,
Or for loving kindness, that he causes it to come.”
Job 37:9-13 WEB
But He is the one who encourages things, or blocks them, and sometimes merely allows them for a time.
It is all according to His will.
God overrules the affairs of men. So James argues that we should not be bragging about we are going to do.
“13
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow let’s go into this
city, and spend a year there, trade, and make a profit.” 14
Whereas you don’t know what your life will be like tomorrow.
For what is your life? For you are a vapor, that appears for a little
time, and then vanishes away.”
Jas 4:13-14 WEB
So what should we do?
“For you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will both live, and do this or that.” ”
Jas 4:15 WEB
God is the overruling
authority over
ALL in heaven or earth.
He is the one who feeds us, and we should receive His bounty with thanks, for they are
“3 … foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with thanksgiving.”
1Tim 4:3-4 WEB
We are NEVER outside of His power.
A disaster may occur which we never would have allowed if it were in our power! Outside of our power, but none are outside of God’s power!
“7 Where could I go from your Spirit? Or where could I flee from your presence? 8 If I ascend up into heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, you are there! 9 If I take the wings of the dawn, And settle in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10 Even there your hand will lead me, And your right hand will hold me.”
Psa 139:7-12 WEB
WEB
is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the
original ASV American Standard Version 1901
Keys to Prophecy: God Works in History, Part III of III
Remember the objective is that, “that they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might reach out for him and find him,” Acts 17:25 WEB
Jeremiah compares God’s work
with the nations
to a potter working with clay.
“3
Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he was making
a work on the wheels. 4 When the vessel that he made of the clay
was marred in the hand of the potter, he made it again another
vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.”
Jer 18:3-4
WEB
Then the Lord comments,
“House
of Israel, can’t I do with you as this potter? says Yahweh. Behold,
as the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, house of
Israel.”
Jer 18:6 WEB
Even so, God is not just concerned with physical Israel, but with all men. God oversees and deals with all men, to discourage them from wickedness, and to encourage them “to seek the Lord, if perhaps they might reach out for him.”
So perhaps “a nation” has turned aside to
selfish and evil conduct.
Then God may decide concerning that nation to destroy it.
“At
what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a
kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy
it;”
Jer 18:7 WEB
However, if that nation will repent, and turn toward better conduct?
“if
that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their
evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to
them.”
Jer 18:8 WEB
God has the power to do whatever He wills with, and can either bless them or destroy them.
At other times God may decided to bless a nation.
“At
what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a
kingdom, to build and to plant it;”
Jer 18:9 WEB
Sometimes though, when nations experience just a little of prosperity they immediately begin to indulge in evil things which they had not considered before. What then? So God says,
“if
they do that which is evil in my sight, that they not obey my
voice, then I will repent of the good, with which I said I
would benefit them.”
Jer 18:10 WEB
These are continual things in history.
Nations are not made safe by military might. It takes more than that.
“The
horse is prepared for the day of battle;
But victory is with
Yahweh.”
Prov 21:31 WEB
Further, in our time, in New Testament times, all of this power and authority over the nations is given to God’s One and Only Son, Jesus the Christ (Mtt 28:18), that He exercises the rule over the nations, and He,
“Yahweh
will send forth the rod of your strength out of Zion.
Rule in
the midst of your enemies. ”
Psa 110:1-2 WEB
That is of course out of the heavenly Zion that Jesus presently rules.
How we act, the decisions we make, do make a difference. Thus the relevance of what God sees as happening in history.
WEB
is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the
original ASV American Standard Version 1901
Keys to Prophecy: God Works in History, Part II of III
The example of the Assyrians
God’s very own people, the descendants of Abraham, had become very wicked in ancient times. They had themselves turned to the very sins of the Canaanites and the Amorites whom they had dispossessed some 800 or so years earlier. The pictures of the moral condition of both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah were indeed very dark. It included a great deal of lying, cheating, violence, fornication and adultery, worshipping false gods, and even human sacrifice. The capstone was that there was no inclination to repentance.
The Assyrians at that time were a prosperous people,
and at their height dominated much of what we now call the Middle East. Art and architecture were prospering under them, and they had some very good engineers among them. Also they were a very ruthless and bloodthirsty people, and were able to field some very capable armies, with the engineering skills to attack formidable fortified cities.
So God raised up the Assyrians
to bring judgement
on sinful nations, including Israel.
The Assyrians were very proud of their status as successful conquerers. They were on the top of the heap. They could do as they pleased with their conquests, and the people involved, and brutally suppressed any opposition. Part of their strategy in maintaining their conquests was simple to completely uproot captive peoples and move them en masse to far distant locations, thus removing any impulse to rebellion. They were fierce, successful and proud.
But God said the Assyrians
should NOT
get carried away with themselves.
“5 Ho Assyrian, the rod of my anger, the staff in whose hand is my indignation! 6 I will send him against a profane nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. 7 However he doesn’t mean so, neither does his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy, and to cut off not a few nations.”
Isa 10:5-7 WEB
Isaiah tells us that Assyria
is merely
a tool that God is using.
“Shall the axe boast itself against him who hews therewith? Shall the saw magnify itself against him who wields it? as if a rod should wield those who lift it up, or as if a staff should lift up him who is not wood.”
Isa 10:15 WEB
So what about also sinful Assyria?
Why should they get away with the things they are doing? God’s answer is that they won’t. When God is finished using Assyria, He will then bring judgment also on Assyria!
“Therefore
it shall happen that, when the Lord has performed his whole work
on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the
stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high
looks.”
Isa 10:12 WEB
By and large this is not speaking of the “miraculous,” but of an Almighty God working behind the scenes to both protect the righteous and punish the wicked.
WEB
is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the
original ASV American Standard Version 1901