Gideon Tears Down the Alter to Baal
Volume 2, Number 24Vol 2 - No 24, July 25, 2006Gideon's witness of faith - Part 2:Our last study ended with Gideon building an alter to the Lord he named Jehovahshalom, Judges 6:24, in response to the Lord's blessing of peace to him. That same night Jehovah told Gideon to take his father's seven (7) year old bullock and tear down the alter to Baal and the grove about it that his father had built and maintained - Judges 6:25. According to commentators the worship of Baal included orgies involving homosexual (1 Kings 14:24; 15:12; 22:46 & 2 Kings 23:7) as well as... Continue reading →
Gideon Called to Be Israel's Judge
Volume 2, Number 23Gideon's witness of faith - Part 1:Deborah and Barak judged Israel 40 years during which time the nation enjoyed peace, Judges 5:31b, but after they passed away Israel began worshipping the gods of the Amorites, Judges 6:10. This of course displeased God who delivered them into the hands of the Midianites for seven (7) years - Judges 6:1. (Midian was east of Canaan and before the Israelites entered the land of Canaan Midianite women caused them to worship their idols. As a result the Lord told Moses to raise an army and eradicate the Midianites. Moses did as told but... Continue reading →
Barak's Witness of Faith
Volume 2, Number 22The faith of Barak:The first 10 people mentioned by name in Hebrews 11 appear in the order in which they lived: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses and Rahab. However, the remaining six (6) men are reversed by pairs: Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthae, David and Samuel, Hebrews 11:32, that is, Barak actually lived before Gideon, Jephthae before Samson and Samuel before David. The Holy Spirit had a purpose in this order of listing when He inspired the writer of Hebrews, which we will attempt to discover. However, this study will proceed in the order in which they... Continue reading →
Joshua's Victories in Caanan
Volume 2, Number 21Vol 2 - No 21, May 31, 2006The trial of faith:In our study of the witness of faith in Hebrews 11 we are about to begin examining the lives of the last six (6) men mentioned by name therein: Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthae, David and Samuel - Hebews 11:32. Before doing so we need to review some of what led up to the times in which they lived. First to be noted is that God promised Israel through Moses that He would give them the Promised Land. His instructions were that Israel was to utterly destroy the previous inhabitants of... Continue reading →
A Look Back from Joseph & Forward from Moses
Volume 2, Number 20Vol 2 - No 20, May 7, 2006A look back from Joseph and forward from Moses in Hebrews 11:The eleventh chapter of Hebrews is being used as a general guide in these studies. As previously pointed out, there are 16 individuals, 14 men and two (2) women, named in Hebrews 11 as being borne witness to by their faith. The first group of eight (8) all lived during the time recorded in Genesis. The lives of the first seven (7); Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac and Jacob, are types pointing to a specific aspect of the finished work of... Continue reading →
The Coprpoate Body of Israel
Volume 2, Number 19Vol 2 - No 19, March 26, 2006Faith triumphs and judges:We left off at the point where the Nation of Israel entered the Promised Land and experienced God's provision for miraculous victory at Jericho. In this study we will see again the fact that Israel's identity before God was as a corporate body, that is, God's son (Exodus 4:22 & 23, see studies Vol 1, No 20; Vol 2, Numbers 6, 13, 17); as God's son Israel had to demonstrate complete faith in His Word in order to stay in right relationship; God cannot condone sin; God designated Israel to... Continue reading →
Rahab of Jericho's Faith
Volume 2, Number 18Vol 2 - No 18, January 31, 2006(A parenthesis in the defeat of the enemy: the faith of Rahab the harlot:)"By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace." Hebrews 11:31. Why was it that only one family was saved out of all Jericho, and that of a prostitute? (Joshua 2:1) The verse itself, Hebrews 11:31, answers the question. Rahab was the only one in Jericho that believed God's Word. However, it is interesting to note that she would not have had the opportunity to exercise her faith had... Continue reading →
Joshua Mets the Pre-Incarnate Lord at Jericho
Volume 2, Number 17Vol 2 - No 17, January 4, 2006Defeating the enemy by faith at Jericho - Part 4:Israel's preparation for victory at Jericho was studied in Vol 2, No 13 & 14. We then digressed to examine sanctification in Vol 2, No 15 and Christmas past, present and future in No 16. Now, we return for a last look at Jericho. It was brutal in the eyes of some, but it is God's way of dealing with sin. "And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the LORD your God. And Joshua said, Hereby... Continue reading →
Christmas Past, Present & Future
Volume 2, Number 16Vol 2 - No 16, December 15, 2005A parenthesis: Christmas past, Christmas present and Christmas future:Past:"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.- - John 1:1 - 4."For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." - John... Continue reading →
So Called Worship Music
Volume 2, Number 15Vol 2 - No 15, November 10, 2005(A parenthetic commentary on worship music / sanctification):Music is powerful and can influence for good or evil. The ancient Greek philosopher Plato has been quoted as saying "I do not care what subjects you teach in your schools and universities. Let me teach and control music and I will control your society." Music is mentioned many times in the Bible. It is prominent in most churches today where the practice thereof runs from old hymns at one end of the spectrum to so-called Christian rock at the other. It is a form of... Continue reading →