God’s Will, Has Made Your Will

Posted on June 27, 2013 by Mark

Ok, this study will not make much sense if you do not have a NIV (mine is copyrighted 1990) or even a Holman Study Bible, mine is a 2006 copyright. King James and several other popular versions use the word “shall” instead of the word “will.”

From Isaiah 59:15 to 62:12 the word “will” is used 86 times. (All scriptures are NIV.) The majority of the “wills” however is God stating what will happen for us or at least to our “enemies.” When you see the word “will,” you think of inheritance; this is found in 61:7 it talks of the “double portion” which is the part that belongs to the first-born son of the family. I will give an example form 60:10 of the promises that are found in this section of scripture – Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you.

The section addresses these promises to two different things, the first is Zion and the second His people. Zion refers to the hills that Jerusalem is built on but it has become synonymous with Jerusalem. The way the promises are worded it seems that God is concerned about the physical land/city but they also apply to Jerusalem the “people of the city.”

Inside of these verses are some very popular scriptures; Isaiah 61:1-3 is a great example. I can image the Apostle Paul reading/thinking about 59:17 when he wrote Ephesians 6:14 – the breastplate of righteousness, helmet of salvation, garments of vengeance, and the cloak of zeal. Isaiah 59: 21 is a great promise – “This is my covenant with them”, says the Lord. “My Spirit, who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth.” Have you ever prayed for guidance and wondered how you would know what to follow look at 60:17 – I will make peace your governor and righteousness your ruler. The first part of verse 17 is another example of the will of God making your will – Instead of bronze I will bring you gold, and silver in place of iron. (See my blogs on metals – bronze, gold, silver, iron, these go to separate blogs.)

Another theme in these verses is “righteousness,” it is mentioned nine times. According to my concordance righteousness carries with it the idea of prosperity, this is from the concordance that has Vine’s Dictionary incorporated into it. (OK, it is a small part but it is there.)

Two verse that connect are 60:21b and 61:3b – (21b) They are the shoot I have planted, the work of my hands, for the display of my splendor. (3b) They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.

God has a lot of “wills” for you in this couple of pages; take a look and find His will for you. I want to leave with 60: 22b – I am the Lord; in its time I will do this swiftly.

The Bible and Science – Discrepant Events

Posted on May 5, 2013 by Mark

The Sermon on the Mount – Matthew 5 – 7 (NIV)

5:34 Do not swear at all.
5:41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
5: 43 Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
6: 33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you.

Ok, I think you have the idea. Jesus’ teachings don’t seem to make sense and really are opposite to what man normally thinks. But these discrepant statements are the heart of the Christian life. The born-again process is truly a mind change where we put away human ideas and take His mindsets as our own. (Yes, it is hard but possible.)

John 12 is the absolute lesson that makes no human sense – If you want to be a leader you have to serve! Use 2 Kings 6:16-17 for the contrast of see vs spiritual reality.

Why did the balloon and bag not pop? Their skins opened up and let those sharp objects through and sealed around them. Basically, healing the wound even though the stick is still with them.

∞ Jesus, thank you for a new mind and that you are in charge of all things; even the ones that do not make sense to our natural minds.

Nehushtan – Numbers 21:4-9

Posted on May 4, 2013 by Mark

The old generation has passed away and it is now time for the “children” to enter the Promised Land. (See Timeline) Miriam and Aaron have died so it is now Moses, Joshua and Eleazar (Aaron’s son) are leading the people. Israel, not Moses, has cried out about Arad, a Canaanite king, has come out against them and Israel has completely destroyed them. They now must go around their cousins, Edom, because God will not let them have their land. (See Edom) So what do they do?

Grow impatient
Speak against God
Speak against Moses
Bring out the ubiquitous complaints no water, bad food, no bread and are we to die in the desert.

I know this cycle is old and you think they would have learned but they have not; makes you think about our complaining. In verse 6 God sends venomous snakes; these are probably the Carpet or Saw-scaled Viper. People start to die so they once again confess their sins to Moses and he prays for them and God gives them a way out. The thing that really stands out here is God did not remove the snakes; He requires an act of faith before they can be healed. They must look at a brass snake (See copper) on a pole.

In John 3:14-15 this act of faith is explained as a type and shadow of Jesus and the salvation He would bring because of the cross. And just as John 3:16 is next, so the people went on to get water and defeat Sihon and Og.

But the story of the brass/bronze serpent apparently does not end when they moved on and camped at Oboth. They kept it and it became an object of worship because in 2 Kings 18:4 Hezekiah breaks it up because they were burning incense to it. It seems to be human nature to get stuck on something that works; God used that for a time but He moved on and did other great things and used other things to deliver the people. They seemed to miss the point – Worship God and not things. (See Superstitious)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Saw_Scaled_Viper_Echis_carinatus.jpg

Psalm 84:5-7

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Mark

Psalm 84: 5-7 – New American Standard (NASB)

⁵How blessed (happy) is the man whose strength (oz – force, security, majesty, praise) is in You, in whose heart (lebab – heart, mind, understanding) are the highways (mesillaw – “lifestyle”, main road, pilgrimage) to Zion!

⁶Passing through the valley of Baca (weeping, balsam, mulberry) they make it aspring (pools, blessings, fountain); the early rain (Autumn) also covers it with blessings (pools).

⁷They go from strength to strength (chayil – “force” an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength), every one of them appears before God (Elohim) in Zion.

There is no definable place called the Valley of Baca; one Bible atlas did ID a city by that name but it is not by Jerusalem.

All of the words in blue are added into the NASB translation and these come from a variety of sources that include several translations and concordances.

Dry Valley pic is from http://www.hsipro.com/Picture%20Album.htm

Mill Run Spring http://www.deq.state.va.us/Programs/Water/WaterSupplyWaterQuantity/GroundwaterCharacterization/SpringDatabase.aspx