Old Testament

Covenant with Noah

May 23, 2019 By Annette1 4 Comments

We have talked about covenant of creation, and God’s covenants. Today we talk about the covenant with Noah. Sin had kept increasing in the world, to the point of murder. People were still calling upon the name of the Lord, so the worship of God was still happening. But more and more, as the generations passed, people were doing their own thing and boasting about their sinfulness.

Then there is Noah. We are told that he is a righteous man, in Genesis 6:9 “Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.” He had that kind of relationship with God, a close personal relationship where it can be said that he walked with God.

God comes to Noah, tells him his plan. Gives Noah a commission. Build me a boat, a big boat. And Noah, being the man that he was, a faithful righteous man, accepted that commission and stood by it. Nay-sayers, mockers and all, he kept his word to the Lord and built it.

This commission was a covenant between Noah and God. God made his promises…he would save the animals of the world and Noah and his whole family. Noah in response, would build the ark, working to complete it before it was needed.

At the end of the flood, God remembered the people, opened up the ark and let them out. Noah offered a sacrifice “And when the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, the Lord said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done.“

God promises not to do this again because… man’s heart is evil from his youth. You know something, I KNOW the story of Noah but this verse is a revelation to me tonight. God destroyed the people because of their evil hearts, but it didn’t work you know? Man’s heart continues to be evil so God knows another way must be found to turn men’s hearts away from evil. He knows it, so using a flood to enact judgement isn’t the answer.

In Genesis 9 we learn the following from God

Man is made in God’s image and therefore is precious.
Mankind is to procreate, to fill the earth.
God won’t destroy mankind like this again. In fact he built in ways for them to be fed and sustained.

Then we get the rainbow, a highly recognizable promise from God. We see it and remember God’s promise. God sees it and remembers his covenant with us.

The Covenant of Creation

May 16, 2019 By Annette1 2 Comments

Have you ever noticed that the Bible starts with a bang? God comes out of nowhere and makes everything. He speaks and things happen! It is simply amazing what the Lord God puts into place. This Covenant of Creation is how the bible begins.

God looked upon the world and said “it was good”. Did you know that it doesn’t mean good as opposed to bad. But Good as in a job well done, a job that meets the purpose for which it was intended. The work of God making creation resulted in a world with all it’s inhabitants that meant the purpose for which he intended it to.

The Creation of Man

God created the world in a specific order. The end result, the culmination of his creation, was man. Man and woman, made in the likeness of God, remarkably different than the rest of creation. The only part of God’s creation meant to be in relationship with God.

Man, created in God’s likeness, given authority over the rest of creation. Able to name everything, Able to care for everything… in a manner that God would want them to care for it. Everything was good, working just the way it was intended. Adam and Eve tending the garden, minding the animals, and talking with God.

Trouble

Then trouble happened. A tempter shows up. God’s design allowed for this. God wasn’t surprised.

Satan had bad designs in mind. He wants to be first in the lives of God’s imagebearers. He starts with Eve, and then used Eve to reel in Adam. The consequences were immediate.

Consequences

Consequences happened all round. Adam and Eve lost their happy relationship with God. Not only that they were kicked out of the garden for their own good, but still kicked out. Relationship between each other was fractured as well. Work became harder, and child-birth more difficult.

Satan himself was cursed. He would now meet with degradation crawling on his belly.

These negative consequences, the judgement of God, didn’t change the positives though. Even in his judgement God left room for hope. He clothed them, helped them and promised to crush the head of the serpent (Satan).

The whole of the Old Testament in built upon the opening chapters. God’s relationship with man broken and a promise of a Serpent defeated. We can’t skim over them. We need to see God’s purpose and the on-going nature of what he created. It’s an integral part of the Old Testament.

The Mountain of the Lord

May 6, 2019 By Annette1 1 Comment

The last time we met we discussed the whole chapter of Micah 3. There we read a specific warnings against those who go after evil. Today we are discussing Micah 4:1-5.

It shall come to pass in the latter days
that the mountain of the house of the Lord
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and it shall be lifted up above the hills;
and peoples shall flow to it,
2 and many nations shall come, and say:
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
3 He shall judge between many peoples,
and shall decide disputes for strong nations far away;
and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war anymore;
4 but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree,
and no one shall make them afraid,
for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.
5 For all the peoples walk
each in the name of its god,
but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God
forever and ever.

Scripture Speaks

I just love these verses, aren’t they wonderful?

And it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord shalled be established.

Isn’t that amazing? The hope contained within those 18 words eh?

How will it be established?

as the highest of the mountains,
and it shall be lifted up above the hills;

What will happen as a result?
and peoples shall flow to it,
² and many nations shall come,

What is the point of them coming? And what will they say?

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.”

Why would they say that?
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

The Lord God’s Action
³He shall judge between many peoples,
and shall decide disputes for strong nations far away;

The reaction of the people:
and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
    and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
    neither shall they learn war anymore;
⁴but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree,
    and no one shall make them afraid,
    for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.

The difference between the people of God and people not of God.
⁵For all the peoples walk
each in the name of its god,
but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God
forever and ever.

Thinking it Through

I love the logic of how these verses are laid out. The hope portrayed in the first verse… Oh.. it made my heart smile. 🙂 Isn’t it interesting how it says
that the mountain of the house of the Lord
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and it shall be lifted up above the hills;

Lifted above the hills… Shows the prestige given to the house of God eh? The high places were the most important places. I love how it is emphasized here. The emphasis continues when we are told that many nations shall come. The house of the Lord is not just some fly by night place. It’s a mountain, high above the highest hills. Regarded well by the folks streaming towards it, wanting to know more about the Lord God.

Causes me to wonder, this is the vision from the last days. This hope shown to us. Should we not then work toward that? Work toward bringing people to the House of the Lord? Get rid of hindrances, and just finding ways to let people enter in? Working towards the tenable peace shown to us here?

What say you?

God’s Covenants

May 2, 2019 By Annette1 8 Comments

An aside before I start reading this chapter. I know that covenants are looked at different by the various branches of Protestant denominations. I find myself holding my breath wondering what approach Allan Harman will take in Learning about the Old Testament. Let’s dig in shall we? 🙂

Covenant in the Old Testament, or testament in the New Testament often signify the same thing. In the Old Testament covenant refers to relationship between two people, a relationship of a formal nature. It also refers to the relationship between God and mankind. Many times these covenants made have a ceremony attached to them, where God promises something and the people also promise something in return.

A covenant, or treatise, between nations or between people was a very common one in biblical times. They had a particular formula to them and God replicated this formula quite often when he dealt with his people. When God did this, he helped his people more easily grasp the significance of their relationship with him.

In the New Testament we see a less formulated covenantal process. We see more of God stooping down to help the helpless. Of God making a promise to help people who can’t help themselves. Here we see him fulfilling old covenants and then making a new covenant (or testament).

The old points to the new

So we see how the Old Testament covenants always point their way to the new covenant made in the New Testament.

Part of me wants to spell out everything Harman writes in this chapter, but to do so gives YOU no incentive to go out and get this helpful book for yourselves. I was delighted to see how Harman connected the Old and New Testaments so well. He pointed out several situations which showed how the Old Testament covenants point to the new covenant God made. Harmon also showed how the New Testament linked the old and the new together. It is very interesting reading and pondering on.

But it’s important to understand that the Old Testament people well understood the concept of a covenant, of the promises made between a king and his people, between one nation and another, and what obligations a covenant wrought upon both parties. As we read the Old Testament we need to remember how it points to the New, and how covenants impacted the lives of the people in it.

Micah 3: Trouble for Rulers

May 1, 2019 By Annette1 2 Comments

I’ve been thinking about how God promised destruction for the wicked since the last time we met. Today we continue our study in Micah 3.

What the Bible Says

Micah talks to the leaders of Jacob and Israel. He speaks to them about justice. Asking why they hate “the good” and love “the evil”.

He then gives examples to help them see how they are doing that.

who tear the skin from off my people
    and their flesh from off their bones,
³who eat the flesh of my people,
    and flay their skin from off them,
and break their bones in pieces
    and chop them up like meat in a pot,
    like flesh in a cauldron.

A graphic picture indeed eh? I could see the leadership recoil from such a picture, but Micah is showing them what their actions toward their very own people are like in the eyes of the Lord.

Cry to the Lord Unanswered

I wondered here who was doing the crying for a while until I remembered that Micah was speaking to the leadership of Israel and Judah.

⁴Then they will cry to the Lord,
but he will not answer them;
he will hide his face from them at that time,
because they have made their deeds evil.

Why would God listen to folks who follow after ‘the evil’? Doesn’t make sense that an all-holy God would bend his ear to people deliberately doing evil does it?

Warning to False Prophets

God issues a warning to the prophets who cry “peace” for no real reason. Happy enough when they have food in their mouths and war-like when they don’t. .

5 Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets
    who lead my people astray,
who cry “Peace”
    when they have something to eat,
but declare war against him
    who puts nothing into their mouths.
Disgrace is coming their way.    No answers from God.  Shame and despair.  The darkness of night will fall upon them.  Nothing good will happen to these bad prophets. 
6 Therefore it shall be night to you, without vision,
    and darkness to you, without divination.
The sun shall go down on the prophets,
    and the day shall be black over them;
7 the seers shall be disgraced,
    and the diviners put to shame;
they shall all cover their lips,
    for there is no answer from God.
But Micah is different.  He is a prophet from God that is filled with power, the power of the Spirit of the Lord.   He will tell Jacob and Israel their sin. 
8 But as for me, I am filled with power,
    with the Spirit of the Lord,
    and with justice and might,
to declare to Jacob his transgression
    and to Israel his sin.

A Specific Warning

Micah is clear when he speaks to the leadership of Jacob and Israel. Those who do evil, perverting justice, accepting bribes and more. This warning comes to all those who are doing evil and yet say “The Lord is in the midst of us”.

⁹Hear this, you heads of the house of Jacob
    and rulers of the house of Israel,
who detest justice
    and make crooked all that is straight,
¹⁰who build Zion with blood
    and Jerusalem with iniquity.
¹¹Its heads give judgment for a bribe;
    its priests teach for a price;
    its prophets practice divination for money;
yet they lean on the Lord and say,
    “Is not the Lord in the midst of us?
    No disaster shall come upon us.”

These people are bringing down judgement on Israel. Because of such people Zion will become like a plowed field, Jerusalem ruined, and the more. Destruction is at hand.
¹²Therefore because of you
Zion shall be plowed as a field;
Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins,
and the mountain of the house a wooded height.

Ponderings

Oh.. isn’t that an interesting way to put it?

you who hate the good and love the evil,

When you put it that way, doesn’t it make good and evil more of a tangible thing? THE good and THE evil. Not just a love or hate of a generic idea of good and evil.

This line I don’t fully understand

and the mountain of the house a wooded height.

Closing thoughts

The imagery of the plowed field makes sense to me as a farmer’s daughter. After a field lies fallow over the winter, with weeds starting to come up and the leftovers of the previous season’s crop remaining. When you plow the field it looks SO much better. It’s also the first step in preparing the field for a new crop. That imagery makes sense to me. The wanting to get rid of the wrongness so a new thing can happen.

I got to thinking about the mountain of a house a wooded height. When I look at this verse in other translations they talk about the temple (Jerusalem) being leveled and becoming like an overgrown hill.

Isn’t it fascinating how different translations word things? I’m always amazed at how looking at other translations brings clarity.

Destruction and Preservation

April 24, 2019 By Annette1 2 Comments

Okay, I know it’s been two weeks since I started Micah… I’ve no excuse other than busyness. Today we’ll be looking at Micah 2.

Looking At Scripture – the problem

Micah starts off this chapter speaking out against those who devise wickedness, planning it while they lay abed.

Woe to those who devise wickedness and work evil on their beds!

Then in the morning, they put their evil plans to work.

why? because it is in the power of their hand.

So basically these are people in positions of power

If they want a field or a house, they take it. Oppression of others happens because they feel like it.

Looking at scripture – the answer

The Lord God has an answer to this problem. He tells these oppressors that he is planning disaster for them. A disaster they won’t be able to walk away from.

³Therefore thus says the Lord:
behold, against this family I am devising disaster,
from which you cannot remove your necks,
and you shall not walk haughtily,
for it will be a time of disaster.

If fact, the disaster God has planned for them will lead other people to mock these evil doers. They shall be utterly ruined, to the extent that “they will have none to cast the line by lots”.
⁴In that day they shall take up a taunt song against you
    and moan bitterly,
and say, “We are utterly ruined;
    he changes the portion of my people;
how he removes it from me!
    To an apostate he allots our fields.”
⁵Therefore you will have none to cast the line by lot
    in the assembly of the Lord.

Looking at Scripture – arguments

I think this section has the evil folks arguing with Micah. Don’t tell us such things, we won’t be disgraced!

⁶“Do not preach”—thus they preach—
“one should not preach of such things;
disgrace will not overtake us.”

Micah’s response is simple… He challenges them (or at least that’s how it reads to me and I might be wrong). The upright have nothing to fear.
⁷Should this be said, O house of Jacob?
    Has the Lord grown impatient?
    Are these his deeds?
Do not my words do good
    to him who walks uprightly?

BUT the people are acting like God’s enemy. People who should be trusted are being thieves. Women driven out of their homes. Children being removed.
⁸But lately my people have risen up as an enemy;
you strip the rich robe from those who pass by trustingly
    with no thought of war.
⁹The women of my people you drive out
    from their delightful houses;
from their young children you take away
    my splendor forever.

Looking at Scripture – then go!

Micah talks to the people telling them to GO. This is not a place for rest, there is too much uncleanness, too much evil here. Men who lie, too many people willing to listen to those lies.

¹⁰Arise and go,
    for this is no place to rest,
because of uncleanness that destroys
    with a grievous destruction.
¹¹If a man should go about and utter wind and lies,
    saying, “I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,”
    he would be the preacher for this people!

Micah tells the people that God will assemble this remnant of Israel. Just like a group of sheep is gathered into a fold is this group of noisy people. He will go on before them. Their Lord will lead them.
¹²I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob;
    I will gather the remnant of Israel;
I will set them together
    like sheep in a fold,
like a flock in its pasture,
    a noisy multitude of men.
¹³He who opens the breach goes up before them;
    they break through and pass the gate,
    going out by it.
Their king passes on before them,
    the Lord at their head.

Questions

What does it mean to say : they will have none to cast the line by lots? Looking at alternative translations here gave me an idea about what is being said here. They will be so ruined that no one will be left to be able to draw lots, which is a regulated by the temple.

Ponderings

I read about God’s anger at the people’s sin, their willful planning of evil. I can understand his anger. I read about what they were doing and I feel angry. God’s wrath therefore doesn’t really surprise me.

I was, … oh, I’m not sure of the right word. surprised at the destroying them so completely that they can no longer take part in lot draws (so out of the temple). I don’t completely understand that section, but not even a remnant left of that evilness.

but oh..those last few verses eh? God so often preserves for himself a remnant, a group of people he gathers unto himself. He often calls this remnant his sheep and like a shepherd he leads them, like a king he’s the head of the group.

Background of the Old Testament

April 18, 2019 By Annette1 2 Comments

Our next chapter in Learning about the Old Testament takes us on a search through the background of the Old Testament.

The Old Testament was written in the Near East. The lands of Egypt, Palestine and Israel. I was about to say and section of Greece, Crete etc…but realized that was during New Testament times! Good catch eh?

Anyways, because it took place in the Near East means that it took place among a particular cultural setting as well. Understanding the culture and place helps us to put words and situations into context.

Palestine strategically important

Palestine is the English version of the word ‘Philistia’. This area was situation on the Mediterranean coast in the Near East. It was a strategically good position. It covered the trade routes between Egypt and Assyria. Unlike many of the other countries around it, this was a land the bible tells us that was “flowing with milk and honey”. It had easy access to sea, ample sources of water and more.

This land was originally called Canaan. This was a land that was divided into five geographic areas.

rich coastal plain
upland area stretching from hills of Galilee south to Judean hills
Jordan Valley
Hills of Transjordania
Negev

Understanding the geography helps us to understand why people moved the way they did and why cities were set up where they were (strategic defense).

Archaeology Helps

Current archaeologists are helping us understand the people of Palestine better. They can’t tell us everything, they give us clues regarding people movements and lifestyle, but there are huge gaps in our understanding.

First off because archaeology can’t excavate all of Palestine! Imagine if it could eh? Everything would be dug up with no place for people to live. Or even if they tried only to dig up the important places… people still live there a lot of the time. Plus archaeology can only provide us with an educated guess. They can’t tell us with complete certainty everything we might want to know.

BUT archaeology often validates (that might not be quite the right word) what the Bible tells us. Showing us the historical accuracy contained within the pages of God’s glory. As Allan Harman tells us “The biblical faith rests on the historical basis of the bible.”

Old Testament

Covenant with Noah