Year: 2013

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Bible

Is God Mad At Us?

The phrase “the Lord’s anger” occurs 29 times in the Bible. Is God an angry god, frequently mad at us for messing up? Does he enjoy punishing those who disappoint him? The answer is no.

This phrase only appears in the Old Testament of the Bible (before Jesus) but not at all in the New Testament, where Jesus places the focus on God’s love.

The Old Testament seems to show God is angry, while the New Testament reveals his love. Is the Bible talking about two different gods? Did God change from mad to loving?

Again, the answer is no. Anger and love come from the same God. We need to keep both traits in mind – and remember that Jesus made the difference.

[See the occurrences of “the Lord’s anger” in the Bible.]

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Bible

Remember God in the Good Times

As Moses prepares the Israelites to enter into the land God promised them, he reminds them of God’s instructions. Moses looks forward to the time when the people will live in cities they didn’t build, drink from wells they didn’t dig, and eat from fields they didn’t plant.

They will be satisfied and he warns them to be careful and not forget God.

For many people, the hard times turn their focus to God. They seek answers, relief, and solace from someone greater then they, from God who can help them out of their predicament, whatever it may be.

However, during good times, many people tend to forget God. They become satisfied and think they’re self-sufficient. They forget it’s actually because of God that they’re living a good life.

Just as we seek God when life is bad, asking for his help, we need to remember God when life is good, thanking him for it.

[Deuteronomy 6:10-12]

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Bible

What Does “An Eye For An Eye” Really Mean?

The phrase “an eye for an eye” occurs four times in the Bible.

The first three are in the Old Testament, in the Law of Moses. In these verses it seems that Moses grants us permission to seek revenge.

However, putting it into an historical context, some scholars say it was actually a command for moderation, to have the response match the injury.

An excessive reaction to you stole my sheep is I’ll take all your animals and burn down your barn. Or you broke my arm, so I’ll kill you and your family. No, an eye for an eye may mean that the punishment must be proportional to the offense.

Regardless of the interpretation, Jesus dismisses the concept entirely. Instead he offers a curious replacement. He says to go the extra mile, turn the other cheek, and give more than required.

It’s hard to know, however, exactly what he means by all this. Is this a passive-aggressive response, a prohibition against retaliation, a command for generosity, a ploy to embarrass your enemies, or a lesson to let people take advantage of you?

There’s much to consider. But the one thing for sure is that Jesus dismisses the idea of an eye for an eye. It’s old school and he has a better way.

[Exodus 21:22-25, Leviticus 24:17-22, Deuteronomy 19:16-21, and Matthew 5:38-42.]

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Bible

Is Our Reward For Now or Later?

Some people who follow Jesus have a future focus, greatly anticipating heaven. They endure the present while waiting for what is next.

Other people who follow Jesus have a present perspective, living boldly for today as his ambassadors to the world. The afterlife is almost an afterthought.

Which is it? Is our reward for following Jesus, now or later?

The answer is “Yes!”

Jesus said that his followers will receive a reward in the present and even more in the future; he promises us something for today and something for tomorrow.

The Bible says that what we give up for Jesus now, he will replace multiple times in our present life, with eternal life as a bonus later. When we follow Jesus, we get the best of both.

[Luke 18:29-30]

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Bible

Are You Working for Jesus or Watching for Him?

In Doctor Luke’s biography of Jesus, he shares some of the things Jesus said. Two accounts appear to contradict each other.

One time Jesus says the master will have his servants sit at his table and he will wait on them.

Another time Jesus said to not expect any such treatment; the servants will not be served or thanked for merely doing their jobs. After a hard day’s work, they can’t rest but need to prepare their master’s meal.

Assuming these illustrations have application for us – and since Jesus said them, I believe they do – which is it, to be served by our master or to serve him some more?

That’s a great question.

While we all desire to receive a reward, it seems silly to expect recognition from an almighty, all-powerful God. (Set aside our culture’s practice of rewarding every child for simply showing up.)

Although I’m not ready to turn this into a principle, I do see one difference between the two accounts.

In the first instance (where the master served the servants) he found them watching for him, waiting and ready. In the second account (where the master wanted to be served), the servants were working, doing what they were supposed to do, performing their assigned tasks.

Could it be that Jesus elevates watching over working? Perhaps expectancy is more important than action.

Furthermore, is there a parallel here to the debate over faith versus works (good deeds)?

[Luke 12:37-38, Luke 17:7-10, and James 2:14-26]

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Bible

Praise to Mothers

With Mother’s Day coming up, I want to salute all moms by commending one mom in particular. The Bible simply says she was the wife of Manoah. Though we don’t know her name, we know her son’s name: Samson.

God promised to give a child to this childless wife of Manoah. Before his birth, God gave special instructions for the lifestyle this boy was to live.

The instructions for living a set-apart life, howevr, were not just for Samson, but also for his mom while she carried him. If she did not do her part, then Samson might not have been able to do all God had planned for him.

A godly, obedient mother established the spiritual framework for Samson to move into his calling and to rescue God’s people.

To Manoah’s wife – and all moms everywhere – thank you for giving your children life and a future.

[Judges 13:2-14]

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Bible

What Do Moses and Gilligan Have in Common?

As a kid I enjoyed watching reruns of Gilligan’s Island. One thing that amused me was that for three years Gilligan sported the same outfit, but his clothes never wore out.

They didn’t fade, become threadbare, or fray. His shirt, pants, shoes, socks, and even his hat lasted in pristine condition for as long as he was on the island.

But that’s nothing. Moses and the nation of Israel spent forty years in the desert and their clothes and sandals lasted that long. For four decades, their clothes did not wear out. Moses beats Gilligan by thirty-seven years, over thirteen times longer.

Although Gilligan’s situation amuses me, Moses’ situation amazes me.

Even more so is the reason Israel’s clothes lasted so long: God did this so that the people would know he was God, their Lord.

That makes me ponder the things God has done for me so I will know he is the Lord, my God. That’s amazing, too.

[Deuteronomy 29:5-6]

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Bible

How Big Was the Promised Land?

God gave the Promised Land to the descendants of Abraham, not because they deserved it, but to use them to punish other nations who were wicked. After he gave them the territory, their job was to drive out the other people (thereby punishing them).

Though the nation of Israel did this to some extent, their efforts were incomplete. This was to their detriment and God’s dismay.

God also gave them laws to obey. They didn’t do a good job at following through with those either. Had they completely done all God instructed them to do, he would have given them even more territory: this time because they earned it.

Sadly they didn’t do their part, so they never received all the land God wanted to give them. The Promised Land could have been bigger, but because of disobedience, the nation missed the full blessing of what God had in mind for them.

I think it’s that way with us sometimes. God wants to give us more, but we don’t do our part to receive it and so we miss out.

[Deuteronomy 19:8-9]

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Bible

Why Does God Bless Us?

When God’s people were in Egypt, he promised to send them back to the land of Jacob, that is, the Promised Land.

God would give them the land because they deserved it, right? Surely God would bless them with freedom and a place to call home because they earned it. Their endurance while enslaved in Egypt for four centuries must have secured this reward.

Certainly, they would receive the Promised Land because of good behavior and righteous living. They had garnered God’s favor and he was duty-bound to respond.

No, that’s not it at all.

Moses said God would not do this to reward Israel but to punish the nations they would displace. God had a bigger picture in mind and in order to accomplish it, he blessed one people  in order to remove the wickedness of another. The Israelites were the happy recipients of God’s unmerited favor.

When something good happens, we often assume God’s implicit acknowledgment of our character and conduct.

But before we pat ourselves on our back, we should recall Moses’ warning to the people of Israel: they were not to assume the Promised Land was a response to their righteousness.

We shouldn’t make incorrect conclusions about why God chooses to bless but instead just be grateful when he does.

[Deuteronomy 9:4]

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Bible

What’s the Meaning of Manna?

When the nation of Israel was in the desert between Egypt and the land God promised to give them, stuck in time-out, they needed something to eat. God supernaturally provided a substance called manna.

It sustained them for forty years while in the Sinai Peninsula. Although the Bible describes manna, the explanation leaves me wanting. Apparently it was a nutritious foodstuff. It had multiple uses and physically nourished them, either in part or in whole, while living in the desert.

In a practical sense, God gave them manna to keep them alive. However, there’s more.

Moses writes that:

  • God humbled his people. Being hungry will do that. Consider the implications to fasting.
  • In their hunger, God provided for them.
  • The lesson in this was that “man does not live on bread alone.” Yeah, Moses said that. Does it sound familiar?
  • In addition to eating manna (bread) for physical sustenance, God wanted his people to also depend on him for their spiritual sustenance, living on his words – all of them.

Several centuries later, when Satan tempted Jesus to perform a miracle in order to feed himself, Jesus quoted Moses: “Man shall not live on bread alone.” The implication is that even more important than eating food, is hearing God. Spiritual needs trump the physical.

But there’s more. Later, when Jesus taught his disciples to pray, one phrase was “Give us today our daily bread.” This is a request to meet both our physical and our spiritual needs.

Manna is a means to live, both physically and spiritually; we need both every day.

[Deuteronomy 8:3, Matthew 4:4 and Luke 4:4, and Matthew 6:11 and Luke 11:3]

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.