When it Storms

James MacDonald - May 31, 2011

Been thinking a lot lately about the disasters that keep raging around us, the tornadoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, floods and devastation that have brought a tragic end to so many lives…and turned survivors’ lives upside down. And thinking about how those and more personal storms—car accident, cancer diagnosis, marital breakdown—can leave us begging for answers to “why?” as we cling to the hands of a sovereign God. Read More

The Cost of Broken Covenants

by Os Hillman

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May 30, 2011

“During the reign of David, there was a famine for three successive years; so David sought the face of the Lord.” – 2 Samuel 21:1a

There was a famine in the land, and David equated that famine to the blessing or lack of blessing from God. He sought God to know why there was a famine. The Lord did not take long to answer: “It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death” (2 Sam. 21:1b). Many years earlier, when Joshua entered the Promised Land, the Israelites were tricked by the Gibeonites into believing they were travelers when they were actually enemies of Israel. The Gibeonites tricked Israel into making a peace treaty with them. It was one of the first major mistakes Israel made after entering the Promised Land. As a result of the peace treaty, the Gibeonites were kept as slaves to Israel. This was never God’s intention for Israel. He had wanted Israel to destroy all their enemies, but they made an error in judgment that required that they honor a covenant with the Gibeonites. Read More

Does God Know our Decision before we Make it?

The Sunday School lesson for May 15 focused on the question, “Does God know my decisions before I make them?” This post is copied from Josh Hunt’s lesson notes. Since we did not meet, you might enjoy what Josh had to say.

On Sunday May 22, we’ll discuss the question “Does God help those who help themselves?”

1. What do we learn about God from Isaiah 46.10?

Rather than spelling out a long list of specific things God has done (as in 44:24-28), a general principle is explained that covers all his actions. In stark contrast to the idols that cannot even speak, much less tell the future (46:7), God is “the one who declares” (the participle maggîd; NIV, “make known”) what has not yet happened, as well as what he will accomplish in the end. This refers to his revelation of future events to people. He is “the one who says” (the participle ʾōmēr) something and it happens (Gen 1 illustrates this point). There should be no doubt about his future plans, for his purposes will be accomplished; he does everything that he pleases. This correlation between his plans and what happens proves God’s faithfulness and reliability. — New American Commentary – Isaiah 40-66: Volume 15b.

2. How would this verse affect the way we watch the evening news?

In reality, people and nations are not the ones who determine the course of history; God is the one who plans and directs what will happen. The veracity of these plans is evident in the course of history, for some of the statements that God made in 14:24-27 have already been fulfilled. God stated that his plan and purpose was to crush Assyria, and he did that when his angel destroyed 185,000 Assyrian troops outside the walls of Jerusalem (37:36). His plans involved not just what will happen to the Israelites; he has plans for all the nations of the world, and nothing can stop him from accomplishing his will (10:5-6; 22:11; 30:1-5; 37:26). Although it may sometimes seem like this world is going to self-destruct because of the wars and terrible atrocities people inflict on one another, the world is not drifting aimlessly out of control toward a hopeless end. Kings and presidents may try to strategize and work together to direct the political affairs of the nations, but in reality it is the sovereign power of God’s hand that will bring his plans (not ours) to fruition. Although there is evidence that the end will come with uncontrollable death and destruction (24:1-23; 34:1-15; Dan 7-8), afterward God will transform this world and its people in order to establish his holy kingdom for his people (2:1-5; 4:2-6; 25:1-26:6; 30:18-26; 35:1-10; 45:18-25). What he originally planned will appear; what pleases him will stand forever. — New American Commentary – Isaiah 40-66: Volume 15b.

3. What do we call the doctrine in theology that teaches that God knows everything?

Omniscience.

4, What if it were not true? What if God did not know everything? Would that comfort you or alarm you?

5. Is there any part of your life you wish God didn’t know about?

6. Luke 10.20. What does it mean that our names are written in heaven?

Such power and authority can be a heady experience, so the disciples were warned not to rejoice just because evil spirits had obeyed them. The main reason to rejoice was that their names were registered as citizens of heaven. Their ministry was not to become an experience of power leading to pride, but an experience of servanthood out of love for God and out of the desire for more people to join them in the Kingdom. — Life Application New Testament Commentary.

7. What is the book of life referred to in Revelation 3.5?

The Book of Life refers to the heavenly registry of those who have accepted salvation in Christ. This expression appears elsewhere in the Bible. The picture of God’s “book” first appears in Exodus 32:32-33. Also, the psalmist had cried out against his enemies, “Erase their names from the Book of Life; don’t let them be counted among the righteous” (Psalm 69:28). Daniel had prophesied, “At that time every one of your people whose name is written in the book will be rescued”(Daniel 12:1). This “book” symbolizes God’s knowledge of who belongs to him. At that time cities had registry books, so having one’s name removed meant losing citizenship. A city would also erase a person’s name from the registry when he or she died. For the citizens of heaven, however, death is not a cause for one’s name to be removed; instead, it is the way of entrance. — Life Application New Testament Commentary.

8. Revelation 20.12, 15. What are the books referred to in this passage?

Jesus Christ will judge these unsaved people on the basis of what is written “in the books.” What books? For one thing, God’s Word will be there. “The Word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (John 12:48). Every sinner will be held accountable for the truth he or she has heard in this life.

There will also be a book containing the works of the sinners being judged, though this does not suggest that a person can do good works sufficient to enter heaven (Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5). Why, then, will Jesus Christ consider the works, good and bad, of the people before the White Throne? To determine the degree of punishment they will endure in hell. All of these people will be cast into hell. Their personal rejection of Jesus Christ has already determined their destiny. But Jesus Christ is a righteous Judge, and He will assign each sinner the place that he deserves.

There are degrees of punishment in hell (Matt. 11:20-24). Each lost sinner will receive just what is due him, and none will be able to argue with the Lord or question His decision.

God knows what sinners are doing, and His books will reveal the truth.

“The Book of Life” will be there, containing the names of God’s redeemed people (Phil. 4:3; Rev. 21:27; note also 13:8; 17:8). No unsaved person will have his or her name in the Lamb’s Book of Life; only true believers are recorded there (Luke 10:20). — The Bible Exposition Commentary – New Testament, Volume 2.

9. How literally do you take this lake of fire?

The phrase lake of fire occurs only in Revelation, and that for a total of six times (19:20; 20:10, 14 [twice], 15; 21:8). John explains the significance of this phrase by identifying it as the second death. This is the place where the wicked are forever separated from the living God to suffer eternally the torments of hell. It is the place in which the wicked spend eternity. But how do we understand the terms Death and Hades? First, Death is a state and Hades a place. Next, these two are intricately connected, as in the fourth seal where the rider on the pale horse is Death, and Hades is following closely behind him (6:8). Hades as the place where the souls of unbelievers are kept is not to be identified as the grave in which the bodies of both believers and unbelievers repose. By contrast, hell is the place of endless suffering. When both Death and Hades are cast into the lake of fire, the authority they exercised in cosmic time has ended.

If Death and Hades are cast into the lake of fire, which is the same as the second death, will their authority continue in that state and place? Their temporary power will become a permanent power in the lake of fire over the unbelievers suffering in hell. The anguish and distress of the wicked in hell is unimaginable. The parable of the rich man (Luke 16:19-31) describes hell as agony, fire, and a place of torment. There the rich man was cut off from Abraham and Lazarus in heaven, and there he suffered the second death that is both spiritual and physical.

John comes to the conclusion of his judgment vision, and once more he stresses the lot of the wicked. Their names are not recorded in the book of life, and therefore they are thrown into the lake of fire. “Not every lost person will undergo the sufferings of a Judas! God will be perfectly just, and each person will suffer precisely what he deserves.”

The comfort God’s people receive is that their names are recorded in the book of life; they are the possession of the Lamb who was slain for them. John links the expression book of life to the Lamb (13:8; 21:27). To be forever with the Lord is the reward he grants his people whose names are in this book. — Baker New Testament Commentary – Exposition of the Book of Revelation.

10. Revelation 21.23 – 27. How is the new Jerusalem different from other cities?

John turns from this beautiful description of the city to the life within it. In antiquity every notable city had at least one central temple. The New Jerusalem not only differs in this respect from ancient cities but also from all Jewish speculation about the age to come. Illuminated by the overflowing radiance of the presence of the glory of God, the Holy City no longer needs a temple (naos). Yet paradoxically it has a temple, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple (v. 22). And in another sense, the whole city is a temple, since it is patterned after the Most Holy Place (v. 16). Jewish expectation was centered on a rebuilt temple and the restoration of the ark of the covenant. In his glorious vision, John sees the fulfillment of these hopes in the total presence of God with his purified people, while the Lamb, the sign of the new covenant is the fulfillment of the restoration of the ark of the covenant (see comments at 11:19; cf. John 4:21, 23). As long as there is uncleanness in the world, there is need for a temple where God’s presence and truth are in contrast to the uncleanness. But in the new city no such symbol is needed any longer. In fulfillment of Isaiah 60:19-20, there will be no further need, as in ancient temples, for any natural or artificial lighting because the glory of God will dim the most powerful earthly light into paleness (cf. Zech 14:7). In the earthly tabernacle and temple, there was, to be sure, artificial lighting (the seven-branched lampstand in the OT tabernacle and the temple); yet the Most Holy Place had no such lighting because of the shekinah, the light of God’s own presence. — The Expositor’s Bible Commentary – Volume 12: Hebrews through Revelation.

11. Why wasn’t there a temple in the city?

One of the great theological changes from Old Testament to New Testament times is the notion of temple. Formerly, the temple was the single building where God’s presence was made known. The prophet Ezekiel’s intricate description of future glory necessarily included a splendid temple (Ezek. 40-48). In Christian times, however, the temple is not a building but God’s people (1 Cor. 3:16; Eph. 2:21). God is present wherever his people meet. In the eternal heavenly city, this notion is carried to its fullest and most wonderful extreme. John did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The symbolic nature of Revelation is apparent here, because one of the earlier blessings promised was that overcoming saints will serve God eternally in his temple (3:12; 7:15). On the one hand, serving God in his temple in the earlier passages means being near God’s presence—most readily understood through the language of temple— forever. The passage here means that God’s presence will not be limited to a single building but will permeate the entire city. — Holman New Testament Commentary – Revelation.

12. How is God like light? What does light represent?

God will be the light in the new Jerusalem. Light represents what is good, pure, true, holy, and reliable. Darkness represents what is sinful and evil. The statement “God is its light” means that the city will be enveloped by God, who is perfectly holy and true. Light is also related to truth in that it exposes whatever exists. Just as darkness cannot exist in the presence of light, so sin cannot exist in the presence of a holy God. The city will be completely without sin and evil.

If we want to have a relationship with God, we must put aside our sinful ways of living. To claim that we belong to God but then to go out and live for ourselves is hypocrisy. To prepare to live with him in eternity, we must love the light and let it chase out any darkness in our lives. — Life Application Bible Commentary – Revelation.

13. Psalm 147.4 – 5 What do we learn about God from this verse?

The billions of stars are all named by God and kept up with by him. Everything is in its rightful place in the universe. He counts and names the vast starry host above and calls them each by name. To name something is to assume the care of that thing, as a parent does in naming a baby. God is mighty in strength to order the starry hosts and planets above. His understanding of each of the stars has no limit. He knows their exact location and size. — Holman Old Testament Commentary – Psalms 76-150.

14. Look at the verses in the margin on page 138. If you had to pick one as a favorite to memorize, which would it be and why?

15. On page 138 Lutzer bring us up the idea of God’s omnipotence. What does omnipotence mean?

The ability of God to do everything that is in harmony with His nature and perfection. — Evangelism and Church Growth.

16. Psalm 139. Someone read this out loud while the rest make a list of everything God knows about us.

17. On the whole, how does the idea of God’s omniscience make you feel?

Perhaps, like me, somewhere deep inside you entertain the lie that you know yourself better than God knows you and that you’ve somehow successfully hidden something from His omniscient eye. This could be the only explanation for why He bothers with you. For those of us who try to live in the light of Scripture, this thought process is far more subtle than outright. Roots always extend underground. Sometimes the only way we know one of these roots exists is when we see what’s growing from it. If we have false assumptions like, “If God really knew me, He wouldn’t like me” hidden somewhere in our core, it will feed our insecurities like a zookeeper shoveling hay to an elephant. We only know that assumption is there because something big, alive, and destructive is growing from it.

Some of us never seek healing from God for our insecurities because we feel like we don’t fit the profile. We think insecurity only looks one way—mousy, maybe even inept—and that’s not exactly who we see in the mirror. At least not once the mascara’s on. And it certainly is not the woman we present to the public. Insecurity’s best cover is perfectionism. That’s where it becomes an art form. — So Long, Insecurity (Beth Moore)

18. How might if change our language if we were aware that God is aware of everything?

The story is told of an elderly grandfather who was very wealthy. Because he was going deaf, he decided to buy a hearing aid. Two weeks later he stopped at the store where he had bought it and told the manager he could now pick up conversation quite easily, even in the next room. “Your relatives must be happy to know that you can hear so much better,” beamed the delighted proprietor.

“Oh, I haven’t told them yet,” the man chuckled. “I’ve just been sitting around listening—and you know what? I’ve changed my will twice!”

God is not like a dear old grandfather who hears only when we speak clearly and directly to him. He always hears us. And his attitude toward us is not changed by what he hears, because we stand before him by grace. But if God were like that grandfather—and if his attitude toward us were changeable—how would your conversations of the past week have affected his attitude toward you? — Illustrations for Biblical Preaching.

19. Would it make you more confident or less confident if you were constantly aware of God’s knowledge of you?

The guillemot is a small arctic sea bird that lives on the rocky cliffs of northern coastal regions. These birds flock together by the thousands in comparatively small areas. Because of the crowded conditions, hundreds of females lay their pear-shaped eggs side by side on a narrow ledge, in a long row. Since the eggs all look alike, it is incredible that a mother bird can identify those that belong to her. Yet studies show that she knows her own eggs so well that when even one is moved, she finds it and returns it to its original location.

Scripture tells us that God is also intimately acquainted with each of his children. He knows our every thought and emotion, every decision we must make and problem we are going through. Therefore, an understanding of the full extent of God’s omniscience should both evoke praise and bring comfort to believers. — Illustrations for Biblical Preaching.

20. What do you want to remember from today’s study?

21. How can we support one another in prayer this week?