The Earth Was Divided
Today’s Passage – Genesis 10 – 12 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Matthew 7 – 8; Proverbs 4; Psalms 16 – 20)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 89:1
Read the 0104 Evening and Morning devotion for today by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read a previous post from this passage – “Finding, Obeying, and Staying in the Place of God’s Will;” “Don’t Move Unless God Moves You;“ “The Beginning of Globalism; ” and “The Land Belongs to Israel.”
“16 And Eber lived four and thirty years, and begat Peleg: 17 And Eber lived after he begat Peleg four hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters. 18 And Peleg lived thirty years, and begat Reu: 19 And Peleg lived after he begat Reu two hundred and nine years, and begat sons and daughters.” (Genesis 11:16-19)
If you were paying attention to the lifespans of the descendants of Noah’s son Shem given in chapter eleven, you noticed that they dropped dramatically in the generation of Peleg. In the four generations preceding Peleg, the average lifespan was 491.5 years. In the four generations after Peleg, the average lifespan dropped rather dramatically to 205.5. What happened? Though I cannot prove it, I think the answer may be found back in chapter ten where God give the genealogical information of the descendants of Shem:
“And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan.” (Genesis 10:25)
The Bible says something similar while giving the genealogical information for Japheth:
“By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.” (Genesis 10:5)
What does it mean that the earth was divided? There are two theories. The first is that the continents shifted during this time. According to this theory there was at one time a large super continent, called Pangea, which was broken up and drifted apart in what has been referred to as “continental drift,” but later was called “plate tectonics,” which involves a very gradual shifting and separation of the continents. Though I am not a scientist, it seems to me that a dramatic division within one generation as seems to be indicated here in Genesis does not fit within the description of a gradual drift. If something like this were to have happened in one generation, it would have had to have been caused by some sort of cataclysmic event, which is not revealed here. The only biblical event that would have made sense to have caused a rapid division of land masses was the flood, but that occurred three centuries prior to Peleg’s day.
The second theory, which I believe to be the correct one, is that God scattered the nations during the time of Peleg. This was after Nimrod who was a descendent of Noah’s son Ham built the Tower of Babel (see Genesis 10: 8 – 10 & 11:1 – 9). This theory makes the most sense when considered with Genesis 10:5 where the Bible specifically connects the division with the word, “tongue.” For some reason when God scattered the people throughout the earth and confounded their languages, their life expectancies suddenly and dramatically decreased.
An even more interesting fact about this passage is that Noah was still alive and was 940 years old when Peleg dies. He would live an additional ten years after Peleg’s death.
Posted in Devotions, Thoughts from Genesis by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
Seen as Righteous
Today’s Passage – Genesis 7 – 9 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Matthew 5 – 6; Proverbs 3 ; Psalms 11 – 15
Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Psalm 18:3 & 46
Read the “0103 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read previous posts from today’s passage – “It Doesn’t Take Long, Does It?;“ “A Token;“ “Too Old To Do Something for the Lord?;” “The Law of First Mention Regarding Wine;“ and “The Dove Flew Away.”
“1 And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.” (Genesis 7:1)
Noah lived in a time when people were extremely wicked, so much so that God stated that he was grieved that he created man in the first place. Consider these verses from the previous chapter:
“5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. … 11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. 13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” (Genesis 6:5-6, 11-13)
Noah was not a perfect man and neither were his wife and sons, but God saw Noah as righteous. Chapter six stated: “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD” (Genesis 6:8). Why was Noah, an imperfect man, seen as righteous when others were not? Was it because Noah was less imperfect than they were? No, it was because Noah had faith in God. God said something similar about Abraham:
“6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6)
Noah had faith before God commanded him to build the ark and his obedience to God’s command was evidence of the faith that he already possessed. The New Testament sheds some light on this fact:
“7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.” (Hebrews 11:7)
The New Testament also tells us that Noah was a preacher of righteousness, meaning that he tried to get others to have faith in God:
“5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;” (2 Peter 2:5)
It is very comforting to know that those who have faith in God, and more specifically, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, are also seen by God as completely righteous or sinless. Consider the following verses:
“21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:” (Romans 3:21-22)
“8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
“12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12)
“18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18)
Now let me caution all of us. Just because God sees us positionally as sinless and completely righteous does not mean that we are to give up on trying to live a life for the Lord that represents the righteousness that God has given us. The faith that we have should be driving us toward a practical righteousness. We will never be sinless while living in these fleshly bodies, but hopefully as we grow in grace and get closer to the Lord, we should be sinning less.
Posted in Devotions, Thoughts from Genesis by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
Respect
Today’s Passage – Genesis 4 – 6 (Click on the reference to listen to the audio. Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Matthew 3 – 4; Proverbs 2; Psalms 6 – 10)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Joshua 1:8
Read the “0102 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read previous posts from this passage – “Walking with God,” “Sin Lieth at the Door,” “Shining Brightly in a Dark World,” and “Grieving God.”
“1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. 2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. 4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: 5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.” (Genesis 4:1-5)
The story of Cain and Abel is very sad indeed. Unfortunately, the friction between these first brothers that led to the tragic murder of Abel is something that is all too common still today. Many families are torn apart by petty jealousies and squabbles over things that matter very little. Even among Christians sibling rivalries abound and it just should not be. Christ has forgiven us every offense that we have committed against Him and yet we find it so difficult to forgive others, even within our own families.
When we examine the difficulty between Cain and Abel, we can easily see that the root problem was not necessarily a problem within their relationship with each other, it was a problem with Cain’s relationship with God. This reminds me of an important point: usually relationship difficulties are two-sided, but it can be that one person is completely innocent of any wrong doing. This seems to be the case with Cain and Abel. There is nothing recorded here about Abel doing anything amiss toward his brother. Cain’s problem was with God, and it overflowed into his relationship with his brother.
Notice here that God had “respect” unto Abel and to Abel’s offering, but did not have respect unto Cain and his offering. It was not just the offering that was the problem; it was the one doing the offering that God also had an issue with. The word, “respect,” is an interesting word. It means to regard with favor, or to behold. In the following verse, the phrase “had not respect” means that God turned His gaze away from Cain and Cain’s offering. Many have stated that God had respect unto Abel’s offering because it was a blood sacrifice, which pictured the shed blood of Christ. That may be true but it does not fully explain why God had respect unto Abel as a person and not Cain. However, when we examine the New Testament we learn that Abel’s sacrifice reflected his faith in God, and resulted in his receiving God’s righteousness:
“By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.” (Hebrews 11:4)
The New Testament also reveals more about Cain:
“Not as Cain, [who] was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.” (1 John 3:12)
“Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.” (Jude 1:11)
The passage in 1 John 3 tells us that Cain’s works were evil and that he was “of that wicked one,” clearly indicating that he was not saved. The passage in Jude speaks of the ungodly men who had crept into the church, denying the Lord and turning His grace into lasciviousness. Jude tells us that these ungodly men had gone in the way of Cain. Cain’s offering was a reflection of his lack of faith in God and His provision of salvation. Cain rejected God’s way and was determined to work his way through his own merit into God’s favor. Cain’s murder of his brother further revealed that Cain was completed controlled by the flesh and was not living by faith.
God can only have “respect” unto those who are living by faith. Saved people have, by faith, received the blood sacrifice that the Lord paid on their behalf when He died for their sins on the Cross of Calvary. They are no longer trying to justify themselves with God. Christians are not only saved by God’s grace through faith but they also should live by faith. The Bible repeats often that “the just shall live by faith.” If we have been saved by faith, we should also live by faith, meaning that we no longer do things our way but rather we yield our lives to the will of God. In this new year, let us yield our lives to what God wants.
One more thought: if God respects faith, then we should also respect acts of faith and people of faith. Unfortunately, many believers today are “gazing upon” or “looking upon with favor” many things that are not consistent with our faith in God.
Posted in Devotions, Thoughts from Genesis by Phil Erickson with 3 comments.
Before It’s Too Late
Today’s Passages – Revelation 11 – 15 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read – Psalms 136 – 140; Proverbs 28)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Deuteronomy 32:4
“And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” (Revelation 14:6 & 7)
I have always been fascinated with the Book of Revelation. In it, we see the final destruction of the earth, and the judgment of all of those who reject the Lord Jesus Christ. However, in the midst of all of the judgment and destruction are many invitations for people to come to Christ. Chapter 14 in particular reveals this truth. The last verse in the chapter is traditionally understood to be about the final battle in the Tribulation Period known as the Battle of Armageddon. Not much of a battle really. Christ is going to return and completely destroy all that oppose Him. Notice, though, that prior to this great battle, even right before the final destruction, God was inviting people to come to Christ. The chapter begins with a discussion about the 144,000 who are evangelists covering the earth with the gospel of Christ. Next, we read about three angels that are flying around the skies warning people about the impending judgment, and inviting them to trust Christ. You see, God is not willing that any should perish. Even at the very end, He is inviting people to turn to Him.
I am no history expert, but I think I remember hearing that before we dropped the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki we warned the people of the coming destruction by dropping leaflets from planes. I may have my facts mixed up a little, but I have heard that our government is known to warn the innocent, so that they can be saved. It kind of reminds me of what God is doing here in these passages. Yes, the judgment is certainly coming, but God is willing to save any and all that will come to Him before that day comes.
How about you? Have you heeded the warning from God regarding the coming judgment? You see, my friend, the wages of our sin is eternal death; but God in His mercy and grace is willing to save anybody who is willing to turn from their sin unto the Saviour. If you haven’t yet trusted Christ, I encourage you to read the “Are You Saved?” page on this blog.
Now to those of you who are saved, don’t ever give up on your unsaved loved ones. Keep praying for them, and preaching to them. As we have seen in this passage, God is going to keep giving them opportunities to repent, even at the very end. We should have the same attitude. Keep trying to win them, keep inviting them, keep reaching out to them, keep loving them, even until the end of our earthly lives. It may be that last try that convinces them that Christ is their only hope.
Posted in Thoughts from Revelation by Phil Erickson with 3 comments.
Compassion Makes a Difference
Today’s Passage – Jude – Revelation 3 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read – Psalms 126 – 130; Proverbs 26)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Ephesians 4:32
Read the “1226 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read a previous post from today’s passage – “Behold, I Stand at the Door and Knock“
“And of some have compassion, making a difference:” (Jude 1:22)
The Epistle General of Jude is a very interesting letter. Throughout almost the entire letter God is calling for us to stand up and fight against those who are promoting doctrinal error as well as those that are encouraging immoral lifestyles. These are not the ones who are merely walking in the counsel of the ungodly, they have gone all of the way to sitting in the seat of the scornful. They are not just allowing sin, they are spreading it. The letter demands that we draw a line in the sand and that we hold that line, defending it with all of the passion that we can muster. However, at the very end of the letter, Jude says something very interesting:
“And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.” (Jude 1:22-23)
While we are earnestly contending for the faith, we are also to be looking for people who we can show compassion to. The phrase, “making a difference” (διακρινομένοι from διακρίνω – diakrinō), has the idea of differentiating or distinguishing them from the people who are the troublemakers. These may be people who have fallen prey to those who are promoting error. These could be people whose lives have been absolutely torn asunder because they have believed the lies of the ungodly. These are people whose lives may have been destroyed but whose hearts have been softened enough to be salvaged for the glory of God.
There are a lot of people out there in the world today who desperately need to experience the compassion of God. They certainly may not look or act like the people in our churches, but God sees something in them that He loves, and He sees hope. We don’t know who they are, either, so we had better be prepared to be compassionate with a lot of people until we find the one upon whom it will make a difference.
Compassion will make a difference. Don’t give up loving people for the Lord Jesus. People don’t care about how much you know, until they know how much you care.
How can we demonstrate the compassion of God to those around us?
1 Share Christ with Them – Though the context of this passage would certainly include people who are saved but have strayed from the faith, I think it would be safe to assume that many of the people that God wants to make a difference in are still lost in their sins. We need to compassionately convince these people of the love that Jesus has for them.
2 Spend Time with Them – We certainly need to maintain separation from people with ungodly lifestyles, but how are we supposed to reach these folks without interacting with them. We can be separated without being isolated. I do not have to participate in or condone the sins of those we are called to reach, but I can still come int their world. Verse 23 states that we have to pluck some of them out of the fire, and we cannot do that without getting close to the fire. Jesus said that we were to be in the world, but not of the world.
3 Supply Needs for Them – People whose lives have been torn apart by sin are often brought to their knees through very drastic circumstances, and many times they will need the support of God’s people in order for the love and compassion of Christ to penetrate them. Hungry people need food as well as the gospel. Homeless people need shelter and clothing as well as Bible principle. We might argue that the gospel and Bible principle are more important than the physical needs of the body, but these people will likely never give us their ears to hear, unless some of the distractions of the physical need are removed.
Jesus went about showing compassion on hurting people. He fed them, healed them, comforted them, and forgave them. We who are saved need to be ambassadors of God’s compassion today.
A man is walking along the shoreline of an ocean when he comes up on a little boy standing in the midst of thousands of starfish that had washed up along the shore. The man watches the little boy as he picks up a starfish and one by one throws them back in the sea. The man watches for several minutes then walks up to the boy and asks, “What are you doing?” The little boy answers, “I’m saving these starfish so they won’t die.” The man says to the boy…”There are too many too save, it wont make any difference.” The little boy reached down and picked up another starfish and said, “it will make a difference to this one” as he threw it into the ocean.
Posted in Thoughts from Jude by Phil Erickson with 3 comments.
The Parable of the Orange Tree
Today’s Passage – Hebrews 12 – James 1; (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read – Psalms 101 – 105; Proverbs 21)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 19
Read a previous post from this passage – “We Talk Too Much, But Say Very Little”
“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” – (James 1:22-25)
One of the frustrating things about the ministry is the lack of application we see in the lives of people from the truths that are being preached and taught from the Bible. For example, I can preach a message on soul winning and hear people say “Amen!”, with some of them complimenting the message on their way out; but then see few actually talk to people about the Lord. I can teach on the need to be separated, and again have the congregation appear to be in agreement, but then see little change in the area of separation. I see people go to the altar week after week under obvious conviction about a truth that was preached that morning, yet go out and do again the same things that they were convicted about.
We need to do more than just agree with God. We need to put into practical application the things that He is revealing to us from His Word. I am beginning to make it a habit now at the end of my messages to ask people what specific actions they are going to take as a result of what they have heard. Agreeing with God about the need for soulwinning or even feeling bad about people dying and going to Hell is useless, unless you actually decide to go soulwinning and then do it; but a specific, tangible decision that will lead to a change of action is necessary. Isn’t this what true repentance is? Isn’t it a change of mind and attitude that leads to a change in action?
Let’s not stop coming to the altar, but let’s not leave the altar until we have found out what God specifically wants us to do with what He has taught us. Unless actual change takes place, all of the conviction and contrition in the world is really just vanity.
Years ago, I heard a preacher tell us the following parable, which I believe perfectly illustrates this point:
The Parable of the Orange Tree by Dr. John White
I dreamed I drove on a Florida road, still and straight and empty. On either side were groves of orange trees, so that as I turned to look at them from time to time, line after line of trees stretched back endlessly from the road. Their boughs were heavy with round yellow fruit. This was harvest time. My wonder grew as the miles slipped by. How could the harvest be gathered?
Suddenly I realized that for all the hours I had driven (and this was how I knew I must be dreaming) I had seen no other person. The groves were empty of people. No other car had passed me. No houses were to be seen beside the highway. I was alone in a forest of orange trees.
But, at last, I saw some orange pickers. Far from the highway, almost on the horizon, lost in the vast wilderness of unpicked fruit, I could discern a tiny group of them working steadily. And many miles later I saw another group. I could not be sure, but I suspected that the earth beneath me was shaking with silent laughter at the hopelessness of their task. Yet the pickers went on picking.
The sun had long passed its zenith and the shadows were lengthening when, without any warning, I turned a corner of the road to see a notice “Leaving NEGLECTED COUNTY – Entering HOME COUNTY.” The contrast was so startling that I scarcely had time to take in the notice. I had to slow down for all at once the traffic was heavy. People by the thousands swarmed the road and crowded the sidewalks.
Even more startling was the transformation in the orange groves. Orange groves were still there and orange trees in abundance, but now, far from being silent and empty, they were filled with the laughter and singing of multitudes of people. Indeed it was the people we noticed rather than the trees. People and houses.
I parked the car at the roadside and mingled with the crowd. Smart gowns, neat shoes, showy hats, expensive suits, and starched shirts made me a little conscious of my work clothes. Everyone seemed so fresh and poised and gay.
“Is it a holiday?” I asked a well-dressed woman with whom I fell in step.
She looked a little startled for a moment, and then her face relaxed with a smile of gracious condescension.
“You’re a stranger, aren’t you?” she said before I could reply, “This is Orange Day.”
She must have seen a puzzled look on my face, for she went on, “It is so good to turn aside from one’s labors and pick oranges one day of the week.”
“But don’t you pick oranges every day?” I asked her.
“One may pick oranges at any time,” she said, “We should always be ready to pick oranges, but Orange Day is the day that we devote especially to orange picking.”
I left her and made my way further into the trees. Most of the people were carrying a book. Bound beautifully in leather, and edged and lettered in gold, I was able to discern on the edge of one of them the words: The Orange Picker’s Manual.
By and by I noticed around one of the orange trees, seats had been arranged, rising upward in tiers from the ground. The seats were almost full-but as I approached the group, a smiling well-dressed gentleman shook my hand and conducted me to a seat.
There, around the foot of the orange tree, I could see a number of people. One of them was addressing all the people on the seats and just as I got to my seat, everyone rose to his feet and began to sing. The man next to me shared with me his song book. It was called: Songs of the Orange Groves.
They sang for some time and the song leader waved his arms with a strange and frenzied abandon, exhorting the people in the intervals between the songs to sing more loudly.
I grew steadily more puzzled.
“When do we start to pick oranges?” I asked the man who had loaned me his book.
“It’s not long now,” he told me. “We like to get everyone warmed up first. Besides, we want to make the oranges feel at home.” I thought he was joking but his face was serious.
After a while a rather large man took over from the song leader and, after reading two sentences from his well-thumbed copy of the Orange Picker’s Manual, began to make a speech. I wasn’t clear whether he was addressing the people or the oranges.
I glanced behind me and saw a number of groups of people similar to our own group gathering around an occasional tree and being addressed by other large men. Some of the trees had no one around them.
“Which trees do we pick from?” I asked the man beside me. He did not seem to understand, so I pointed to the trees round about.
“This is our tree,” he said, pointing to the one we were gathered around.
“But there are too many of us to pick from just one tree,” I protested. “Why, there are more people than oranges!”
“But we don’t pick oranges,” the man explained. “We haven’t been called. That’s the Orange Picker’s job. We’re here to support him. Besides we haven’t been to college. You need to know how an orange thinks before you can pick it, successfully orange psychology, you know. Most of these folk here,” he went on, pointing to the congregation, “have never been to Manual School.”
“Manual School,” I whispered. “What’s that?”
“It’s where they go to study the Orange Picker’s Manual,” my informant went on. “It’s very hard to understand. You need years of study before it makes sense.”
“I see, I murmured. I had no idea that picking oranges was so difficult.”
The large man at the front was still making his speech. His face was red and he appeared to be indignant about something. So far as I could see there was rivalry with some of the other “orange-picking” groups. But a moment later a glow came on his face,
“But we are not forsaken,” he said. “We have much to be thankful for. Last week we saw THREE ORANGES BROUGHT INTO OUR BASKETS, and we are now completely debt free from the money we owed on the new cushion covers that grace the seats you now sit on.”
“Isn’t it wonderful?” the man next to me murmured. I made no reply. I felt that something must be profoundly wrong somewhere. All this seemed to be a very roundabout way of picking oranges.
The large man was reaching a climax in his speech. The atmosphere seemed tense. Then with a very dramatic gesture he reached two of the oranges, plucked them from the branch, and placed them in the basket at his feet. The applause was deafening.
“Do we start on the picking now?” I asked my informant.
“What in the world do you think we’re doing?” he hissed. “What do you suppose this tremendous effort has been made for? There’s more orange-picking talent in this group than in the rest of Home County. Thousands of dollars have been spent on the tree you’re looking at.”
I apologized quickly. “I wasn’t being critical,” I said. “And I’m sure the large man must be a very good orange picker – but surely the rest of us could try. After all, there are so many oranges that need picking. We’ve all got a pair of hands and we could read the Manual.”
“When you’ve been in the business as long as I have, you’ll realize that it’s not as simple as that,” he replied. “There isn’t time, for one thing. We have our work to do, our families to care for, and our homes to look after. We . . .”
But I wasn’t listening. Light was beginning to break on me. Whatever these people were, they were not orange pickers. Orange picking was just a form of entertainment for their weekends.
I tried one or two more of the groups around the trees. Not all of them had such high academic standards for orange pickers. Some held classes on orange picking. I tried to tell them of the trees I had seen in Neglected County but they seemed to have little interest.
“We haven’t picked the oranges here yet,” was their usual reply.
The sun was almost setting in my dream and, growing tired of the noise and activity all around me, I got in the car and began to drive back again along the road I had come. Soon all around me again were the vast and empty orange groves.
But there were changes. Something had happened in my absence. Everywhere the ground was littered with fallen fruit. And as I watched it seemed that before my eyes the trees began to rain oranges. Many of them lay rotting on the ground.
I felt there was something so strange about it all, and my bewilderment grew as I thought of all the people in Home County.
Then, booming through the trees there came a voice which said, “The harvest truly is plenteous but the laborers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest”, that he will send forth laborers. . .”
And I awakened – for it was only a dream!
Posted in Thoughts from James by Phil Erickson with 5 comments.
Paul – A Peacemaker, Problem Solver, and Picture of Christ
Today’s Passage – Philemon – Hebrews 4 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read – Psalms 86 – 90; Proverbs 18)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Proverbs 27:15
Read the “1218 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
“Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient, Yet for love’s sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:” (Philemon 1:8-10)
Paul’s Letter to Philemon is one of the epistles that Paul wrote while he was imprisoned at Rome. Philemon was a member of the church at Colosse, which was located in Asia Minor in an area known as Phrygia. It is not too far away from Ephesus where Paul had labored for 3 years as a missionary. It is even nearer (about 13 miles) to the City of Laodicea, which is mentioned in the Book of Revelation. At one time Colosse was an important city with a large population. It was located in an area that connected the markets of the far east with the markets of Europe. It was known for a particular kind of purple wool called colossinus that was in demand around the world. As time went on, however, Laodicea became the prominent city and Colosse eventually faded off the scene. Only ruins are left today of both cities. It is probable that both cities were eventually destroyed by a series of earthquakes.
At the time of this writing, Paul had never personally visited this church or the city, but had apparently become acquainted with Philemon somewhere else, and was influential in leading him to Christ. Philemon had apparently opened up his home as a meeting place for the church at Colosse. He was very likely the husband of Apphia and the father of Archippus. Although Philemon was saved, he apparently had been a slaveholder, which was unfortunately an accepted part of the Asian culture in that day. Interestingly, neither Paul nor Peter condemns slavery in their writings, though they were obviously opposed to it, and did not participate in it. Instead they chose to teach principles to both the servants and the masters regarding how they should treat each other:
“Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.” (Ephesians 6:5-9; see also Colossians 3:22 – 4:1; 1 Timothy 6:1 – 2; Titus 2:9 -10; 1 Peter 2:18 – 19)
This Letter to Philemon was delivered by Onesimus, along with the Letter to the Colossians. However, the Epistle to Philemon is very different from the Letter to the Colossians. Colossians is written to a church and is both doctrinal as well as practical. Philemon, on the other hand, is very personal; written primarily to encourage reconciliation between Onesimus, who was a runaway servant from Colosse that was gloriously saved in Rome, and Philemon.
Notice that the heart of this letter is about reconciliation and Paul is very bold to interfere in the matter to help bring it about. Paul does not pull any punches either. He makes it crystal clear what each party should do.
In this little letter we see four steps that Paul took to be a peacemaker and a problem solver in bringing about reconciliation between Philemon and Onesimus. In these four things we will also recognize that Paul is a picture or type of Christ. He is truly acting on behalf of the Lord Jesus as His ambassador.
I. He prayed for him and praised him (Philemon 4 – 7)
Paul prayed for Philemon. He also prayed for Onesimus. Jesus prayed for us also:
“But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” (Luke 22:32)
“I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.” (John 17:9)
Notice also that even though Paul is writing to Philemon to correct him about something, he also was careful to praise him for what he was doing right.
Parents can learn a lesson from this. Teachers can learn a lesson from this. Employers can learn a lesson from this. A little bit of genuine praise will go a long way. Paul also expressed confidence that Philemon would do what was right. Notice v. 6:
“That the communication of thy faith may become effectual (ἐνεργής – energēs – meaning active or powerful) by the acknowledging of every good thing that is within you in Christ Jesus.”
Paul was telling Philemon that he had the opportunity to put his faith into practice, that his faith would become a powerful testimony for Christ if he did the right thing here.
II. He gave him a choice to do right (Philemon 8 & 9)
Paul had the power to force his will, but he gave Philemon a chance to choose to do the right thing. Jesus does the same thing. He could sovereignly force His will upon us, but He allows us to choose to do right.
III. He interceded on behalf of Onesimus. He was willing to give him a second chance. (Philemon 10 – 16)
Paul sticks his neck out here and begins to beg (beseech) Philemon to forget about the wrong that was done in the past, and, for the cause of Christ, release him from his debt. Jesus does the same thing for us. We are guilty sinners deserving of punishment, and the accuser is always there to point out what we have done wrong; but Jesus is always there to intercede on our behalf.
“Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:25)
IV. He was willing to pay Onesimus’ debt himself. (Philemon 17 – 21)
Christ paid our debt of sin.
Conclusion
When Paul found out that his new convert Onesimus had a problem with Philemon, another friend of his, he did not avoid the problem; he tackled it head on. He didn’t allow Onesimus to run from the problem, either. He sent him back to Philemon to face him, but with a letter from Paul that would hopefully encourage Philemon to make the right decision.
Paul’s intercession on behalf of Onesimus enabled him to get right with his boss, and also provided Philemon with an opportunity to demonstrate Christ to the people who were watching. The result of this was that God was glorified, the devil suffered a defeat, and the cause of Christ – the Gospel – was advanced.
Three lessons we can take away from this:
- Be a peacemaker and a problem solver. When we have an opportunity to help bring about reconciliation between people, we ought to do it.
- Don’t run away from your problems – face them head on.
- When someone who has wronged you comes to you to get things right – let him. In fact, don’t wait for them to come to you – take the initiative to get things right with them.
“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.” (Galatians 6:1)
In this little Letter to Philemon we see that Paul truly was a peacemaker, a problem solver, and a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with 2 comments.
Perilous Times
Today’s Passage – 2 Timothy 3 – Titus 3; (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read – Psalms 81 – 85; Proverbs 17)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – 1 John 3:1
Read a previous post from this passage – “Sometimes You Have To Stand Alone“
Read the “1217 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” – (2 Timothy 3:1-5)
“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.” – (Matthew 24:6-8)
“But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” – (2 Timothy 3:13)
Consider what our world has endured since the new millennium began: the terrorist attack on 9/11; several cataclysmic earthquakes; tsunamis that have wiped out hundreds of thousands of people; out of control wildfires caused by record drought conditions; economic disasters bringing record unemployment; the Middle East in complete turmoil; several hurricanes and cyclones, and even a new classification of storm called a “super storm”; the senseless slaughter of children and adults in mass shootings; politically motivated riots culminating in portions of major cities being completely overrun; a global pandemic; and just recently, the torture and slaughter of 1,200 Israelis by a murderous terrorist group. I do not think that I am overstating the condition of our world when I say that we are living in perilous times.
These man-made and natural disasters have all been prophesied long ago by God in the Bible, so we should not be too surprised by what is taking place, though we are certainly grieved and impacted by these things. But we were warned, and we should have been prepared. We have also been given the principles that we need in order to live for the Lord in these perilous days while continuing to reach people with the gospel.
The upside of all of this is that some people are thinking about God. Unfortunately, many are blaming God even for the man-made tragedies, but at least they are thinking. While some people are hiding away from church today, there are others – new people – who are showing up. Some are confused and frightened and I don’t blame them, because no matter how much we know from the Bible about the time that we are living in, there are still a lot of details that are left out. We do know, however, that God knows and that none of these events has taken Him by surprise, and they are all somehow part of His plan that will ultimately bring about the Millennial Kingdom of Christ, which will be preceded by the rapture of the Church when all believers will be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air:
“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” (1 Corinthians 15:51-53)
“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:1-3)
But this time that we are living in now is scary, and even though God’s people are not appointed to wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9), we will still likely experience some troubling days before the Lord comes back for us. The Bible gives the illustration of birth pains, which (I’m told) are very painful, but also temporary; and these perilous days, though extremely trying, are also temporary and will eventually yield to a time of greater peace, prosperity, and security. No pain, no gain.
We have established that the times are certainly perilous, and will only get worse; but what can we do? Just keep going. Keep going to church; keep going to the prayer closet; keep going soulwinning; keep loving people; keep standing for the Lord:
Posted in Thoughts from 2 Timothy by Phil Erickson with 2 comments.
Study to be Quiet
Today’s Passage – 1 Thessalonians 1 – 5; (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read –Psalms 66 – 70; Proverbs 14)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Ephesians 4:32
Read other posts from this passage – “What’s Right With It,” and “What’s Your Reputation Like?“
“9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. 10 And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more; 11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; 12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.” (1 Thessalonians 4:9-12)
For more information regarding the historical context of the Thessalonian Letters, click here.
My intention this morning was to write about the passage that immediately follows the verses above, which discusses the rapture of the church. However, I think these verses are more practical for us as believers who are anxiously awaiting the return of the Lord because they remind us about what we should be doing while we wait.
The first thought that I want to pull from this passage comes from the phrase “more and more” found in verse ten. We see this phrase also in verse one where Paul encourages them to “abound more and more” in their walk (behavior or lifestyle) and in pleasing the Lord generally. Here in verse ten, Paul is admonishing them to increase in their love for each other.
“34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:34-35)
Notice that the Lord said that this is how the world will know that we are truly believers. Paul commends the Thessalonians here for the love that they already had for other believers, not only within the city of Thessalonica but also throughout all of Macedonia, which included Philippi and Berea also.
The second thing that we see from these verses is Paul admonishing these believers to live honest, quiet, and simple lives, and to be hard working. The word, “study” (φιλοτιμεῖσθαι from φιλοτιμέομαι – philotimeomai), means to work for or strive for. Paul is telling them that needed to work at this; to try hard to do it. The phrase “to be quiet” (ἡσυχάζειν from ἡσυχάζω – hēsychazō) means to cease or to rest, or to “hold your peace.” It is interesting the entire phrase “study to be quiet” could mean “work at resting” or “work at not working,” which is certainly strange, but what Paul is saying here is that they should work at being quiet.
The idea of this whole passage is that these Thessalonians believers were to be a testimony to the world around them through their hard working, quiet, and honest lives. And Paul promises that besides being a good testimony to their neighbors, they will also be self-sufficient. They would “have lack of nothing.”
The Greeks were not typically fond of manual labor and hard work was often done by slaves. Paul set an example by working as a tentmaker to support himself. He will address this problem again in his second letter to them, where he rebukes some for not working at all:
“6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. 7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; 8 Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: 9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. 10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.” (2 Thessalonians 3:6-12)
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with 3 comments.
Help Wanted – Ministry Positions Available
Today’s Passages – 2 Corinthians 11 – 13; (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read –Psalms 31 – 35; Proverbs 7)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Proverbs 3:5 & 6
Read a previous post from this passage – “Do You Pass the Test“
“Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.” – (2 Corinthians 11:22-30)
“And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.” – (2 Corinthians 12:15)
Are you looking for a job? Do you want to make lots of money, live in a spacious, comfortable home, drive a fancy car? Are you looking for something that will not require a lot of your time and energy, but will yield great financial benefits? Do you require a good health insurance package, including dental and optical? Do you desire a great retirement package that will allow you to retire early with enough income to live comfortably? Then don’t apply for this job.
Welcome to the ministry. Paul the apostle was perhaps the greatest Christian that ever lived, but look what his earthly benefit package included: rejection, beatings, stonings, shipwrecks, hunger; and long, thankless hours. The ministry is not something that you do because of what you will get from it in this life. Those who surrender to God’s call to ministry will more often than not, know a life of sacrifice and struggle. Don’t misunderstand me, the ministry does have it’s great moments, and there is a good deal of satisfaction knowing that you are making an eternal difference; but the fact remains that if it is earthly rewards that you are looking for, you will most likely not get them in the ministry.
However, the ministry does provide the best eternal retirement package there is. Those who sacrifice for the Lord here on earth, will receive an abundant return for their investment in Heaven; and those benefits will last a lot longer than any earthly retirement package.
In spite of all the negatives that Paul had to endure, however, he would not have traded places with anyone else in the world. He couldn’t do anything else; and he learned to be content with whatever the will of God provided for him. As much as I often gripe about some of the aspects of the ministry, I don’t think that I could be happy doing anything else either. True happiness and joy is being in the center of the will of God, wherever that leads you.
Posted in Thoughts from 2 Corinthians by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.