Bible Discussion Replies PAGE 505

" Sinners certainly can't do anything to gain a reward from God, for "all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags."

Thanks and Amen Brother Chris!

It's like a household chore ( being forced.)

Sinners can't do anything to gain a reward when doing something they should be doing anyway.

Luke 17:9-10. Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not.

So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

Doing these chores/commandments ( to receive something )

nullifies the gift.

God bless.

ever lasting life eternal life when did it start for me

Ex 34 cont...

Moses immediately bow to YHWH in worship. Moses must have recognized how transcendent God is compared to mankind. He was given a glimpse of the splendor and majesty of YHWH-His "Otherness". How indelibly this encounter must have been engraved on Moses' heart! Though YHWH was definitely displaying his eminence with Moses (presence near and with Moses), YHWH was describing Himself as Totally and Infinitely Perfect in all of His ways.

After Moses' act of worship (bowing) he asks YHWH to go among the Israelites, even though He had said He would not. Moses asks YHWH to pardon the sin of the people. He asks YHWH to take them into the inheritance promised to their forefathers. Moses calls it "Your" inheritance. The fulfillment of this promise belongs to God. YHWH responds by saying He will do marvels like people in all the earth have never seen before, nor has any other nation had a God who can do such wonders. But these people with Moses will see the work of YHWH and it will be an awesome thing.

Then YHWH says: Observe what I command you this day. He promises to drive out the named peoples from the land before the Israelites (this probably means that they will experience this action not in the sense of doing it before they get there).

Then YHWH give strict commands for the people to break down all of the pagan altars, images, and pillars. They are to not intermix with these idolaters by social interaction, marriage, or copying anything about their worship. They are to ONLY worship YHWH-no other false god PERIOD! They are not to make any covenants with these people, no treaties, no entanglements with them, lest they be tempted into idolatry with them. He likens them participating in idolatry as being adulterous, playing the harlot with these false gods.

He emphasizes very strongly-You shall make NO molded gods for yourselves. (Remember the golden calf-don't do it again in any way-no household 'gods'). He makes this command so plain, no exceptions!

Amen Brother Jesse!

Well spoken!

Galatians 4:28. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

Abraham had no part in their promise.

Galatians 4:1-31 speaks volumes on this.

God bless you.

Ex 34 continued...

Next, God says that He is truth. Not just truthful, or knows all truth, but that He IS Truth. He is never a lie. We can depend on Him to always be exactly Who He is. Truth is an essential aspect of His Being, like goodness, longsuffering, mercy, and graciousness (as He defined Himself here). God could have defined Himself as just or wrathful (which He rightly is) but God here with Moses after the great idolatry of the golden calf, emphasizes these qualities that offset His justice and wrath by executing these upon Jesus instead of sinners. He cannot not punish sin with His justice. But, because of His mercy, grace, and love, He spent these upon His Son, Who alone could bear the infinite punishment for sin, which is infinitely abhorrent to God.

Next, God elaborates about Himself: keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin. Interesting that He uses three word for our actions towards Him that require punishment. He goes on to say "by no means clearing the guilty".

So which is it, forgiving sin in all of its manifestations or not clearing the guilty? He both forgives and judges sin. So He may be speaking of those who trust Him by faith will be forgiven, but those who will not repent and put their faith in Him, He will not clear them of their guilt. Forgiveness is given to those who seek God's way for this forgiveness to come to them-through faith in Jesus, believing the Gospel, repentance and turning to God from rebellion against Him. He may be speaking to two different groups of people in how He deals with their sins.

He goes on to say that those He does not clear the guilt of their sin, He will visit the iniquity of the fathers upon their children, their children's children to the 3rd a nd 4th generation. What does this mean. Surely, God would be merciful to children, grandchildren, etc. But perhaps He is speaking of such unrepentance of a father is replicating in succeeding generations without God's intervention

Thank you for this informative response. I was sure this was the case but began to wonder if maybe in his very late years another wife had been added. The person who told me this was so adamant that I began to question if it could be possible. Thank you again.

Hello,

It looks like some are questioning whether its morally right to use a commentary. Nothing replaces reading or hearing God's word directly. Ive never met anyone who disagrees with that. But a commentary is just someones interpretation or opinion. I see this as no different than a sermon or a bible study or discussion on this site. I do not believe its wrong to seek other perspectives of Gods word. of course discernment should always be used, not accepting any opinion as truth without a proper vetting including prayer.

Exodus Chapter 34.

In this chapter, YHWH once again gives Moses the 10 commandments for the Israelites. He writes these down Himself, again.

So, as I recall, these commandments have been given to Moses three times: Exodus 20 (Moses told these to the people); Between Exodus 20 and 31; Moses went back up the Mount for 40 days. God wrote the ten Commandments on the stone tablets (which Moses broke apart when he saw the golden calf); and in Exodus 34, God writes them down again on the new stone tablets.

As the chapter begins, YHWH tells Moses to cut two new stone tablets and bring them with him up to the Mount early the next morning. These tablets were chiseled out of stone, but nothing was written upon them yet.

It says that YHWH descended in the cloud (as He had done before). He stands with Moses and proclaims His own name. Then He goes n to describe Himself to Moses. He calls Himself The LORD (YHWH) and The LORD God (YHWH Elohim?). He starts off by claiming that He is merciful and gracious. How wonderful that God, who was angry at the Israelites for their idolatry, tells Moses that He is merciful and gracious. What a comfort that must have been to Moses to hear YHWH say this about Himself first. It is only by His mercy and grace that mankind did not end in the Garden of Eden with the first sin. But He has shown mercy and grace since that first sin upon humanity. Thus humanity continues to this day.

Next, He says he is longsuffering. This means that God is not hasty in His righteous anger to punish sin and sinners. He shows extensive restraint in delaying His judgment. He shows patient forbearance. Next God says He is abounding in goodness. He is the only Being Who is infinitely and ever good. His goodness is absolute, without any imperfection. His goodness is constant and continuous. He never loses any of His goodness, ever. His goodness is always morally righteous. His goodness is active-He chooses to be good to His created beings.

Revelation 18 commentary

There is still speculation as to whether this "queen" that made these boastings in verse 7 is a symbol of the Statue of Liberty and symbolizes America with its maritime trade; particularly focused on the financial markets of New York City. There are many clues in Jeremiah and many have written on this subject; nonetheless it is possible that a future city to be built in the Mideast may fulfill this prophecy.

We can certainly see the main theme here is that an economic system which the world will trade with in the last days will be destroyed at this point. The is fallen statement said twice in verse 2 (as I probably stated previously) would indicate the spiritual Babylon falling then the economic one; which makes this some point after the midpoint of the Tribulation. Verse 23 explains the merchants as being "great men of the earth" so that unbelievably it would seem that some are still living in luxury until very near the end of the Tribulation. The timing isn't exact here as chapter 17 and 18 are sort of a parenthesis between chapter 16 and chapter 19. It would have to be before the vial judgments as the whole world will be affected by that.

Also it would be very near the time when the kingdom is plunged into darkness (4th vial I believe). That could symbolize an electrical grid (or as I suspect a solar powered infrastructure regional breakdown so that trade no longer can occur). This judgment of God in "one hour" verse 19 could not only show swiftness; but possibly the brevity of time when this worldwide trade was at its peak.

The responsibility for the blood of prophets; saints and all those slain on earth is specific for that time; although certainly shows how a pattern of false worship has led to centuries of martyrdom for those seeking to keep their kingship; and economic power. Whatever false church (i.e. the great whore) that exists after the Rapture will resemble the Laodiceans today.

RUN if truth isn't preached!

Thank you for sharing those extra thoughts on this subject, GiGi. What I would object to & give counsel on, is if someone uses a commentary solely to understand Scriptures, thereby forming a view/belief based on what interpretation, of the many, seems best rather than first resting on the Word, doing a scriptural search & waiting for light on that portion. I think this would be a lopsided approach to understanding the Bible & may give very limited value to the reader & a distorted Bible-reading exercise in the future.

Dear Judy, the Scriptures do not tell us that Adam had any other wife than Eve. In fact, Jesus spoke to this in Matthew 19:4-6 in speaking of marriage. He said that in the beginning, God made mankind male and female; and that the man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife. The two become one flesh. What God has joined together, let no man separate. So, When Adam and Eve were created, they only had each other. There was not any other persons with whom to add to their marriage (in regards to polygamy) and that it was wrong to divorce a spouse to marry another. Adam would of had to take one of his daughters or neices as another wife. But Scriptures do not say this. It says that Eve was the mother of all the living. Therefore, any children born to Adam were born through Eve.

Hello, Sparticus,

Jesus did not need to read any commentaries because He was God in the flesh and had perfect understanding of Scriptures because they are His words. You nor I are not Jesus. We did not author the Scriptures nor have perfect understanding of them on our own.

Chris,

Thank you for this post. We are a community of saints and need each other. We are to teach each other, for teachers are given to the church body for that purpose. We are to preach to one another, for pastors are given to the church body for that purpose. We are to evangelize, for evangelists are given to the church body for that purpose. We are to build each other up in the most holy faith, which involves doctrinal instruction as well as Bible reading. We are to check whatever we hear or read from others against the Scripture, but this does not mean that we only read the Bible and do not listen to or read another person expounding on the Scriptures.

I realize that each believer is free to choose the approach to learning Scriptural truths that they believe is best. For me, I believe that God planned for us to be united together with Jesus in a common fellowship (body) where we worship, serve on another, and learn from each other communally rather than as individuals who wish to be "loners" and only use their own minds, reason, and understanding in learning Scriptural truths from the Bible. These do use something other than the Bible -their own minds, whether they will admit it or not. But, I do believe that the Bible does say in Proverbs 11:14 that "where there is no counsel, the people all; but in the multitude of counselor there is safety." This wisdom is from God and therefore good to follow. We need one another to help with our growth in knowledge of God, Jesus, and the Scriptures.

Who is the prodigy women in Genesis 37

Hi Spartacus (& to 'Believing' as well). I do agree with what you both have written, as far as not requiring anything more than the Word of God to read & meditate on. Yet, when I see the word, 'Commentary', or even read what the writers had written, expressing their understanding of the Word, my mind goes back to the Church Fellowship setting. I ask myself, 'isn't my Elder or Pastor also giving a (his) commentary on the Bible, whether on a Lord's Day Service or in a Bible Study? The difference being, he may not go into as much depth as those other commenters, but he still presents a Scriptural analysis of a portion of Scripture - and we, listening to him, decide whether what he says aligns with the Bible & we learn from it & apply it. I suppose that it is possible, though I've never heard of it, that a pastor goes to his pulpit, gives the subject of his message, tells the congregation to note down the following ten Scriptures that pertain to his message, and then for the next thirty to forty-five minutes for them to read & meditate on them. He then sits down with them, so as not to give any comment(ary) on the Bible.

So yes, I understand the absolute worth of just reading from the Bible without resorting to any other views or Bible helps, but can't seem to place much difference between what may be written on the printed page to what is shared from the pulpit. Am I assessing this correctly or am I missing out on something? Or, even on these pages here, maybe some of should do as a couple of others do when answering a question: just give our answers only as listed Scriptures to look up & prayerfully consider so as to gain the true answer they seek.

Alex, thanks for your input. I'm sorry to have to be the one to remind you of this, but when Adam and Eve sinned, death walked in. We, fallen humanity, call the duration between birth and death "time." In order for humanity to function, God had to ORDAIN an essential thing called "writing." No human can talk loud enough to be heard by future generations after one dies. Therefore, God inspired certain humans to record His Divine tangible Words to pass on the history of His actions of body, soul, and Spirit to future generations so they can be aware of a Divine Savior and believe and behave toward God in such a way as to miss a thing called Hell. The idea of dismissing the physical and riding the back of the spiritual misses the truth of the Biblical.

thank you for giving me a clear understanding on that my mother spoke of this thank you

Judy. No.

Scripture doesn't mention the word cremation per se, one must become familiar with burials, and why we bury embalmed bodies.

Everyone resurrects upon death, meaning our soul's immediately return to the Father that gave it, and the flesh body returns to dust from whence it came.

Ecclesiastes 3:20 mentions this more specifically on how all are from the dust, and all return to the dust, but back up a few verses to (15) so to get the gust of how we all began the same way, and return to the same place, also how we breath the same air...

So no matter how we are buried, we are not in the flesh body anymore, we have gone back to the Father.

Full burials are for the Living, IMO.

We buried embalmed bodies believing not in resurrection.

Thanks Henry , I'll check that scripture out .

Kingdom of Heaven. The word charity is best described as the love of God

In the renewed mind in manifestation because only the love which is produced

By the spirit of God thinketh no evil. This is way Paul says at the end of 1 Cor. 13

And now abifeth faith hope and charity but the greatest of these is God's love in

Action or displayed. You can do all kinds of works but if not done in perfect love

Doesn't mean squat.

Lyn. Hi the reason being without God's Grace of having the spirit in us which

Is His armor when we walk in or by the spirit. That's the shield of believing

Mention in Ephesians chapter 6.

Hiya Marsha...Plz let me give ya this bit of information....When Moses was on the back side of the desert in Exodus 3:15....God tells Moses that his name was Abraham Issac and Jacob and my memorial to all Generations....And this was after that Abraham had already offered up his only son Issac and Moses knew this very well....But this speaks volumes of a Kingdom coming that wd be a Father Son and Grandson type of kingdom just like Abraham Issac and Jacob where the son wd be offered up resulting in the multiplication of that son that wd be as the stars of Heaven in multitude saving this whole world.

......I will multiply thy seed as the stars of Heaven in multitudes... Genesis 22:17....Thus an Israel of God fathered by a Trinity.

......If i be lifted up i will draw all men unto me....An Israel of God that cannot sin...Simply b/c they are born of God.

.....Thus Abraham Issac and Jacob are truly a picture of the Godhead as a Trinity....3 Distinct beings but the 1 singular FATHER of Israel....And they became as the sands of the seas in multitudes....Just like Jesus is gonna be multiplied as the stars of Heaven in multitudes....Thus the sower and his precious seed...The words of that New Covenant...The Book that he wrote with his own blood.

.......Marsha if you read Isaiah 11 :1 ....You will see Isaiah who lived approx. 200 yrs after Jesse David and Solomon had long Died....Is still using this Jesse, David and Solomon kingdom as a kingdom coming in the last days When God sets his hand a 2 nd time to recover the remnant of his ppl...In Isaiah 11:11 kjv....Isaiah was still using this Father Son and Granson language for a kingdom coming again the last day....That 2 nd coming ...God wd not let David the son build that great Temple....God wd only let Solomon the Granson build the temple....B/c Solomon is symbolic of the 3 rd person the H.G. THAT IS GONNA BUILD THE TEMPLE IN MANS HEARTS....A greater then Solomon is here Jesus said....I will give them a new heart and etc.

I was born in the backwoods of Oklahoma. We all went barefooted. When folks built a board shack to live in, they had to cut down trees and saplings to build it. You simply didn't know pain unless you tripped over one of those stumps just once. STUMBLING BLOCKS ARE CRIPPLING! When you start running, you're smiling, but when you hit that stump with your big toe, suddenly your mouth turns bottom-side up and you start squalling! Mama comes to the rescue-she soaks your foot in a pan of kerosene, and you hobble around two weeks worth of lost time, grinless. Given time, you can run again because you learned the hard way where all the stumps are. End of lesson.

Did Adam have another wife besides Eve?

Thanks Henry,

That is what I thought.

Ex 33 continued...

Moses is asking to see God completely unveiled, to see God in His essential Being, without outward manifestation, but to see Him as He truly is. Moses was bold after YHWH had said that he had found grace in His sight and He knew Moses by name.

YHWH did not grant Moses' request fully, for no man can see God in His true essence (to see His face) and live, for He is so absolutely holy and majestic that we are unable to bear the experience. He lives in inapproachable light. YHWH modifies Moses' request and says that He will have his Goodness pass before him and will proclaim the name of the LORD before Moses. He then says, "I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion." This is an interesting statement. It doesn't simply say that YHWH will show grace and compassion to Moses. But is rather a statement of His essential nature. Like the name I AM WHO I AM, this statement tells of Who YHWH is essentially concerning His grace and compassion. No one can contest it nor thwart it. YHWH places Moses in a cleft of a rock and covers Moses' eyes with His hand as He walks by and releases His hand so Moses will see the backside of Himself. This must be figuratively speaking as God is Spirit and therefore does not have a body like humans do. It must be that to see God in "full frontal view" would be to see Him in His transcendency, which no man can view, but to see His backside would be to see Him in a way that a human can comprehend and survive the glory of seeing His Being in the most clear and true way that is possible for man to bear.

Jesus is the perfect revelation of God. In Him we are able to see the fullness of the Godhead and still survive. He, being fully human and fully God, is the perfect Mediator between the Father and mankind. It is Jesus we will see in heaven. And we will be so satisfied with seeing Him face to face. We will realize how seeing Jesus is also seeing the Father ( Jn 14:9-11)

Exodus 33 continued...

YHWH spoke with Moses as with a friend. How wonderful to know oneself as a friend of God! Moses was not God's enemy, but one with whom YHWH was pleased and one whom YHWH chose to interact with. It was not Moses' doing. It was YHWH who showed up when Moses went to the tent waiting for Him. Do we have a place set aside for meeting with God? Do we wait there in anticipation and faith that He will show up?

The text says that Moses would go back among the people in the camp, but Joshua remained in this tent of meeting, not departing from it. What lessons Joshua must have learned from dwelling in the place where YHWH would meet with Moses.

Moses then inquires of YHWH concerning who He will send with Moses to lead these people. Moses then recalls what YHWH had said to him, "I know you by name, and you have also found grace in my sight." So wonderful that God knows us by name and has chosen to place us in His grace. Moses then asks YHWH to show him His way in order to know Him and to be given grace. He also asks YHWH to consider the Israelite nation to be His people. Here Moses not only prays for himself to remain with YHWH and YHWH with him, but also intercedes for the nation, that YHWH would do the same for them.

YHWH answers, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." Moses request was answered with the assurance that YHWH will accompany not only Moses, but the nation as well by His Presence. (What is His Presence here, I wonder?) YHWH also promised to give rest to Moses. Does this mean that Moses' task of leading these people to the Promised Land will end once they arrive or is it speaking of his death? Here, rest is spoken of as a good thing to receive.

In the next section of this chapter we have the account of Moses asking YHWH to show him His glory. What a bold request! Moses had met with YHWH on the mountain and in the tent of meeting visible manifestations of YHWH's Presence. Yet, to Moses, he wanted even more!

Exodus 33 continued....

This morning I continue in this chapter. There is a change of focus in the chapter at this point. It begins by speaking of Moses moving the his tent of meeting (tabernacle) outside of the camp. Whereas before, Moses' tent was within the camp, this move graphically shows how YHWH had separated Himself from dwelling within the midst of the people to dwelling outside, still near, but not within. The difference here is very significant. YHWH did not leave the Israelites, but by meeting with Moses outside the camp, He spared them from being consumed by His just punishment for their gross sin of idolatry. This shows (also graphically) how sin separates us from God. Interesting, the purpose for the separation in this chapter is given as to prevent God from consuming them. This is an act of grace on God's part. I have always thought of the separation from God being because He cannot dwell with sinfulness. However, this chapter puts a new viewpoint on this separation that I had not realized before. Even though YHWH was outside of the camp, He is always omnipresent, therefore, always near enough for us to call upon Him.

The people would go to Moses' tent of meeting (Tabernacle) to seek YHWH. Whenever Moses went out to the tabernacle (his tent), all of the people rose and stood at the door of their tents and watched Moses until he had entered this tabernacle. Whereas before Moses would go up Mt. Sinai to meet with YHWH, now YHWH meet with Moses at his tent, descending with the cloudy pillar, positioning before the door of the tent. In this way, YHWH spoke with Moses. When this happened, all the people rose and worshipped YHWH, each at their own tent doorway. What a beautiful depiction of worship being done by the Israelites without any false image, but because God's Presence was evident in the pillar of clouds at the door of Moses' tent. They would drop all that they were doing and stand in honor of YHWH and worship Him. Worship was simple here.

Beautiful prayer Denise , thankyou .