Why does the sun rise in the east? Wednesday, Mar 31 2010 

Doctrine and Motivational and Uncategorized kennethbow 7:13 am

Why does the sun rise in the east?

There is this something about the east!  The sun rises in the east.  Jesus is returning from the east.  Many if not most great philosophers are from the east.  So what is the significance of these things being from the east?

The Apostle Paul while in his early 40’s set out on his first missionary journey.  He arrived at the island of Cyprus.  There he converts Sergius Paulus, his first gentile convert, and jettisons his Hebrew name forever.  Saul of Tarsus is no more.  The Apostle Paul, the Apostle to the gentiles, steps forward to his life work.

Many have commented on the choice of Paul over other Apostles for this world task.  Why Paul?  It is my opinion it was for his philosophy.  His doctrine was the same, his heritage was the same if not better, so it seems to me it was his philosophy that tipped the scale in his favor.

Paul was able to be eclectic when he was before high-ranking Romans, or even Governors and Caesars.  It was his Hellenistic learning and background that made him the candidate to reach the population of Asia, Achaia, Macedonia, and Galatia.

I would like to be able to witness to all people about Jesus Christ.  As I have traveled this country for the last 35 years of preaching, I have seen very few Asian people in our churches.  It is a rare occurrence.

Why has the sun not risen in the east like it has in the west?

Could it be that we have not trained ourselves to reach the eastern mind set?  Do we understand how to reach out to them? The Buddhist? The Hindu? The Muslim?  How many of us strive to understand these eastern thinkers?

Are we as exclusionary as the Jews of the New Testament? Is heaven reserved just for the American, or English and Latin-speaking peoples?  I thought I read that in that celestial city there were people there from every tribe and nation.

Are the eastern people of your area being reached with this gospel?

Let me challenge you.  Have you ever read the Tao de Ching?  It is the second most read book in the history of the world!  It is the basis of all thought and doctrine for 3/5 of the world we live in.  Many of you who read this will never have heard of it.  When I have been with many pastors, and even bought it for them, they have smiled indulgently and said people here don’t read that.

How many Apostolics could effectively witness to a Buddhist?  How about a Muslim? How about a Hindu?

I do not expect this blog to start a stampede on the bookstore, but if there are any who are interested in being the most effective witness you can I am going to recommend some reading.

The “The World’s Religions” by Huston Smith is the standard textbook used on many campuses in America.  It is a distilled overview of the major religions of the world.  It at least explains the Bagadavita, (The religious book of the Hindu faith). It explains the Diamond Sutra and the Sutra of Hui Neng (Buddist books). It explains the Koran, (Muslim book).

I also recommend the  Tao de Ching.  The version I favor is by Stephen Mitchell.  There are many versions available. The Tao is a small volume that can be read in less than an hour.  The principals in it are similar to the principals in our Bible.

For many who read this blog today, this is nonsense.  I understand that, but Paul was the best-prepared man on planet earth to reach people of diverse views.  He stood toe to toe with the intellects of Greece on Mars Hill.  He could confidently say, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, it is the power of God”.

Maybe it is time to consider why the sun has risen in the east every day for millenniums in our natural world, but has never risen in the east in the spiritual world!

Thanks for reading today.

 

There Were Giants In The Earth…Some Of Them Belonged To God! Monday, Mar 29 2010 

Biblical history and Doctrine and Motivational and Old Testament and Uncategorized kennethbow 7:23 am

Isaiah

In the eighth century BC while Homer was writing the Iliad and the Odyssey, and Lao Tse was writing the Tao de Ching, Isaiah wrote the book that bears his name.

The prophet Isaiah was a giant of Jewish history.

He is considered the Shakespeare of Hebrew literature. The New Testament quotes him more than all the other prophets added together.  No author in the Bible can match his eloquence and mastery of style and imagery.

He lived midway through the founding of the nation and it’s final destruction. He lived on the border between the Northern and Southern kingdom.  He was one of the prophets who observed first hand the fall and captivity of the Northern Kingdom of Israel.

The Rabbis say that he was first cousin to King Uzziah.  Isaiah’s father, and Uzziah’s father, were brothers.  This would mean he was of royal lineage, and familiar with the palace and court life.  He certainly was the confidant and advisor to at least 5 kings.

Isaiah was not a “yes” man to these kings.  He stood against the popular tide of optimism.  His name meant “The Lord saves”.  He warned Kings repeatedly that to depend on military power or wealth or alliances or anything but God would bring disaster.

Isaiah outlived four of the kings he advised, but finally offended one King beyond the King’s tolerance. Manasseh is said to have placed Isaiah between two planks and had him sawed in half.  Thus ending the life of one of Israel’s greatest heroes.

Isaiah’s writings are about the nature of God.  It is a collection of many messages on many subjects.

His writings break down like this:

  • Chapters 1-12 warnings to Judah during their prosperous days
  • Chapters 13-23 messages to surrounding nations
  • Chapters 24-35 earth’s future and the imminent invasion of Assyria
  • Chapters 36-39 an interlude telling of crisis Judah faced
  • Chapters 40-48 prophesies 200 years into the future  (Babylon)
  • Chapters 49-55 The nation’s final deliverance through the suffering servant
  • Chapters 56-66 warnings to Judah and a view of the future

These are quick bullet references to Isaiah:

  • Began preaching before he was 20 years old
  • A contemporary of Amos and Hosea
  • Born during Uzziah’s reign
  • Called in the year Uzziah died
  • Saw the Glory of Jeroboam II (Israel)
  • Observed the fall of Israel in 721 BC
  • Influenced Hezekiah
  • Foretold the rise of Babylon
  • Killed by Manasseh
  • His book a mini Bible (66 chapter, 39,27)
  • Proclaims the coming Messiah
  • Quoted more in New Testament than all other prophets combined
  • Shakespeare of Hebrew literature
  • First cousin to Uzziah
  • Giant of Jewish history
  • Lived exactly in the middle of the founding of the nation and it’s destruction
  • His name means “the Lord saves”
  • Prophesied during 5 kings
  • Wrote same time as Iliad, Odyssey and Tao de Ching
  • Looks into the nature of God
  • He was Hezekiah’s “song in the night”

His supreme contribution was his fore telling Messiah is coming!  The nation hung onto this thread of hope until Jesus arrived.  It helped keep them through the 400 silent years of despair.  When the New Testament opens they are on point looking for Messiah.

Because he looks into the nature of God, He is our “One God” preacher! Verses like, 9.6, 7.14, 43.10-11, 44.6, 44.8, 45.15, as well as chapters 12, 35, and 53, are favorite one God passages.

When an Apostolic preacher preaches on Oneness, he invariably visits the book of Isaiah!

When Assyria threatened the nation, after conquering 200 walled cities and leading away 200,000 captives from the northern nation, it was Isaiah who stayed calm while Hezekiah panicked.  Isaiah was the song in the night with a word from the Lord.  The next morning 185,000 Assyrians lay dead, Judah was saved, and Isaiah was right!

Isaiah had heard from God and the Angel of the Lord went through the camp of Assyria and slew 185,000 men while Israel slept and never lifted a finger!

The Devil was not alone in using Giants to do great exploits!

God answered with some Giants of his own!

Of these, none stands taller than Isaiah.

Thanks for reading today!

 

The Woman Who Could Not Be Bought Thursday, Mar 18 2010 

Uncategorized kennethbow 6:42 am

Song of Solomon

Love stories have captured the hearts of men and women since the dawn of time. Lovers are forever linked together, even centuries after their lives are over. The names of Romeo and Juliet, Marc Antony and Cleopatra, Dante and Beatrice, Hosea and Gomer, live on even now, eternally linked together.

The Song of Solomon is a love story. It may very well be the greatest love story ever told. Solomon was named by God Himself as the wisest man who ever lived! He knew as much about women as any man ever has. He had 700 wives and 300 concubines. I think that qualifies him for nomination for a PhD in womanology.

Solomon wrote three books. He wrote the Song of Solomon as a young man. He then wrote Proverbs when in middle age. Later when he was elderly, he wrote Ecclesiastes.

He who wrote 1005 songs and 3000 proverbs, said this was the Song of Songs. Out of the 1005 songs he wrote, this was number 1. Is it feasible that he wrote a song for each of the women in his life? Possibly 1000 women and 1005 songs. We know this song was written to the Shunamite girl and we know she resisted his enticements. So, I suggest it is at least possible his modis operandi was a love song to each woman he courted.

Out of all the songs he wrote, he felt this was the Song of Songs. The question is why? I submit it was because he saw in this young girl the kind of love he wished Israel as a nation had for God. If somehow Israel would fall in love with her Shepard like the Shunamite girl loved her Shepard, then Israel would be blessed.

The story goes something like this. Solomon had a summer home. This we find in the Bible. While making the journey there one summer day he sees a young shepardess and a young Shepard under an apple tree.

That night Solomon sends for the young girl who is black by the sun and very poor. She has never had nice things or even shoes upon her feet. When she is brought to Solomon’s palace she is overwhelmed. When Solomon makes his intentions known, she is speechless and is given until tomorrow to make up her mind.

There are 140 women with Solomon at this time. While she lies upon her bed with her head spinning, she hears the young Shepard boy at her door. He has come looking for her. He is panicked at the thought of losing her to Solomon. He has braved the dangerous night to find her and take her home.

While lying on her bed, she hesitates and he moves on. Finally she rises and goes to the door, and can smell his lingering fragrance. She runs though the night city looking for him but he has gone.

The next day when she appears before Solomon, he makes his plea for her. She is torn between the pull of Solomon and all he can offer and her Shepard lover. Solomon makes a fatal mistake when he mentions the apple tree. When Solomon says that her mouth is like apples, she rises and flees. She runs from the summer palace and runs home.

The Shepard is disconsolate because he thinks she is lost to him. Then suddenly he sees her. She is running to him. Her garments are flying in the wind. Her hair is blowing free. The Shepard realizes she loves him more than all the allurements of money or fame. The time spent under the apple tree with him forged a bond between them that was as strong as death. She is reunited with her Shepard lover.

Back at the summer palace, the whole court of Solomon is aghast. The young girl just ran out. No one had ever done that before. They were stunned. They were stunned because the girl had the nerve to reject the King, but even more stunned by the King himself.

He just sat on his throne with a puzzled look on his face. For a long time he said nothing. Then he asked for a writing instrument and something to write on. They were amazed. Why, he was writing a song! A song of tribute to the woman who could not be bought. To the woman who was so in love with her Shepard, that nothing could influence her to give that love up for another love.

Slowly they began to see what the King saw. If only God’s people would love their Shepard that way. Solomon hummed the tune to The Lord is my Shepard. For the first time in his young life, Solomon understood true love. A love based on time spent together. A love that was not based on things, but rather on value of each other.

The wisest man of all the ages wrote a song about that and declared it to be the “Song of Songs”. A tribute to the love for a shepard that was forged under the Apple tree. A love so strong that even death itself could not sever it.

May God give us that kind of love for our Shepard!


 

Look at me Mr. Atheist, I am evidentiary proof there is a God. Wednesday, Mar 17 2010 

Uncategorized kennethbow 7:25 am

How To Answer An Atheist.

Most of us have encountered someone in our life who just does not believe in God.  It is difficult to witness to them because we have no common ground.  You offer your practiced, rehearsed, standard line of communication and they reject it wholesale.  You are left frustrated and feeling inept. The Devil taunts you as a poor witness of the grace and glory of God!

This blog is an attempt to give you some beginning bullets to initiate conversation and draw them into your conversation.

First of all I believe it is always polite to inquire what they believe.  Value their opinion even if you disagree.  God Himself gives that individual the prerogative to form an opinion even if it is wrong.  Should we do any less?  Listen carefully to their explanation and see if there is logic and reason in it.  Sometimes you can begin on their “turf” and get them to open up, and a door will open to you.  Be patient, they have spent a lifetime forming that perspective and usually are reluctant to surrender it quickly.

I have found if you listen long enough and show genuine interest, they many times, will in turn say something like, “what is your opinion?” Take that opportunity to share your genuine, sincere feeling about God.  Be passionate! If you do not feel it strongly, they will intuitively know it is not exciting or captivating.

Most professing atheists I have encountered are strong on reason and rationale. I believe it would be to your advantage to learn some scientific facts that support the Bible as a legitimate document.  About 20 years ago I read Josh McDowell’s books on Evidence that demands a verdict.  His approach provided me with good solid information to approach the Bible from a scientific viewpoint.  I have used this at times in personal conversation as well as in college classrooms.

I strongly believe you can put the Bible on any battleground and it will be victorious.  The Bible is the mind of God.  What argument or approach can finite man use, that God cannot show man to be a fool?

I worked on an archaeological dig in the summer of 1994.  At night there were classes by world class, and world renowned, archaeologists.  Each one I met was either an agnostic or an atheist.  They would lecture and make preposterous statements.  The other people were not inclined to challenge these professors because of their education.  I had no such qualms.  I will site just one example.  One particular professor from Penn State University made the statement one night that the majority of the stories in the book of Genesis are just fairy tales.  From the front row, before I thought I blurted out “Excuse me?”  You can imagine the quiet that fell.  All eyes turned to me.  How dare I question such a noted, learned authority as this?

I had stopped off at London for a week of vacation with my family before going to Megiddo, Israel, for the archaeological dig.  I saw the Rosetta stone at the British Museum.  I had viewed other archaeological displays. Into that silence with everyone looking at me, I calmly said, “If Abraham is a fairy tale, does that mean the Rosetta stone, and the code of Hannurabi are not credible as archaeological evidence?”

He was trapped.  If he said the Rosetta stone and the code of Hannurabi are credible, then Genesis is validated.  Abraham is validated. The Ten Commandments are validated.  The law of Moses is validated.   If he said no, it is not credible, then archaeology is not valid as evidence.  That world-renowned professor with his PhD backed up.  He turned red in the face and just looked at me.  I quietly said, “Sir you can’t have it both ways”, and smiled.  He merely nodded and continued his lecture.  But he was careful from then on because someone stood up to him and made him make accurate statements.

My point is, do not be afraid, and do not surrender because they are more educated or show condescension toward you.  You are a child of God and you have every right to your opinion.

One more example before you leave me today.  It was a geology class in college.  The study was the beginning of our universe.  The big bang theory, hot and cold diffusion, heavy planets and their orbits in our universe.  It was the whole enchilada.  We covered fossils, and the ages of the so called past.  Finally I raised my hand and asked the professor if I might ask him a question.  He said of course (with a smile!)

I asked him if it was true that I had as much empirical evidence for creation by God as he had for the theories he was promoting. He looked at me (with a frown!) and slowly nodded his head and said, yes that is true.

The Truth is neither of us has empirical evidence to support our view.  I have faith and he has supposition and theory.  Touché it is a draw.

Lastly I believe the most powerful tool you possess is your personal testimony.  Sincerely and succinctly tell them what happened to you.  No one, not even an atheist can argue with that! God has provided you with the most conclusive evidence mankind can produce.  Look at me Mr. Atheist, I am evidentiary proof there is a God.

The Apostle Paul used his personal testimony before Governors and Caesars. If it works in that arena, it will work when an atheist scoffs and sneers.  Hold your head up high. You are a child of God, and you have no reason to be ashamed.

Thanks for reading today!

 

(4) Jesus There Is Something About That Name Tuesday, Mar 16 2010 

Uncategorized kennethbow 7:10 am

Jesus…..there’s something about that Name!

In Genesis… He is the Creator…sun, moons, stars, worlds, man, animals, flora & fauna, cosmos, universes infinitive!

In Exodus… He is our Passover Lamb

In Leviticus… Our Law Giver

In Numbers…Our Brazen Serpent, high and lifted up

In Deuteronomy…Our “Hear O Israel, the Lord thy God is One”

In Joshua…Captain of the Lords Host

In Judges…Our Faithful Judge

In Ruth…Our Heavenly Kinsman

I & II Samuel…Our King in the midst of Blessings

I & II Kings…Our King in the midst of Apostasy

I & II Chronicles…Our Restorer of a lost nation

Ezra…Our Faithful Scribe

Nehemiah…Our re-builder of broken down walls

Esther…Our Mordecai

Job…He’s the one who believes in us when our Friends flake out!

Psalms…Our song in every circumstance on life’s road

Proverbs…Our answer to life’s riddle

Ecclesiastes…Our wisdom

Song of Solomon…Our Shepard in the night!

Isaiah…The Son, Immanuel, Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, our Everlasting Father, and our Prince of Peace

Jeremiah…Our weeping prophet

Lamentations…The Eulogy of a fallen nation

Ezekiel…The four faced man in life’s trial

Daniel…The fourth man in life’s fiery trial

Hosea…Our Rapah, our Husband, our Redeemer!

Joel…The Holy Ghost Giver!

Amos…The Shepard who gathers the broken pieces of our life and heals us.

Obadiah…The recompense to our enemies

Jonah…Our evangelist

Micah…Our light in the darkness

Nahum…Our judgment on unrighteousness

Habakkuk…Reviver of our work in the midst of our years

Zephaniah…The Re-gather of a lost nation

Haggai…Fruit Giver to a starving & barren nation

Zechariah…The Olive Tree and the Candlestick

Malachi…The echoing voice of God that reverberated for 400 years.

Matthew…Son of Abraham

Mark…Son of Man

Luke…Son of God

John…The Word which is; which was and which is to come.

Acts…The Holy Ghost

Romans…Our Justifier

I & II Corinthians…Our Sanctifier

Galatians…The breaker of the curse of the law

Ephesians…He who repairs our broken down wall of partition that kept us from God

Philippians…The Name at which every knee shall bow

Colossians…All the fullness of the Godhead bodily

I & II Thess…Our coming King

I & II Timothy…God manifest in the flesh

Titus…Our washing of regeneration

Philemon…Our deliverer from slavery

Hebrews…High Priest and our New Covenant

James…Our Faith that makes devils tremble

I & II Peter…He quiets the scoffers of all ages

I & II John…Our Love, or propitiation

Jude…Our contender for the faith that was once delivered to His saints

Revelation…Our Alpha, our Omega, our First and Last, our King, our Priest, our Lion our Lamb, our Savior, our coming King, our Judge, our redeemer, and The Almighty!

Jesus, there is something about that name!

 

The Incomparable Christ Monday, Mar 15 2010 

Uncategorized kennethbow 7:39 am

The Incomparable Christ

He came from the bosom of the Father to the bosom of a woman.  He put on humanity that we might put on divinity.  He became the Son of man that we might become the sons of God.

He left the region where the rivers never freeze, winds never blow, frosts never bites, flowers never fade; where no doctors are needed, because no is ever sick; where graveyards never haunt, death never comes, where no funerals are ever conducted.

He was born contrary to the laws of nature, lived in poverty and reared in obscurity; only once did He ever cross the boundaries of His own small country.

He had no wealth, training, or education, and whose parents knew nothing of the niceties of social tradition.

In infancy He startled a king; in boyhood He puzzled the wise; in manhood He ruled the course of nature.

He healed the multitudes without medicine and made no charge for His services.

He never wrote a book; yet all the libraries of the world could not contain all the books that could be written about Him.

He never wrote a song, and yet He has provided the themes for more songs than all earthly writers combined.

He never founded a college, yet all the schools of earth have not had the students that sat at His feet.

He never practiced medicine, yet has healed more broken hearts than the world has ever taken note of.

He never marched an army, never drafted a soldier, or fired a gun, yet no leader has ever had the volunteers who under His orders, made rebels stack arms and surrender at His command, never firing a shot.

He is the Star of astronomy, the Rock of geology, the Lamb and Lion of zoology, the Harmonizer of all discord, and Healer of all diseases.

Great men have come and gone; He lives on.

Herod could not kill Him; Satan could not seduce Him, death could not destroy Him and the grave could not hold Him.

He laid aside His purple robe for a peasant’s gown.  He was rich, but for our sakes became poor, that we might be rich.

How poor?

Ask Mary!  Ask the wise men!

He slept in another’s manger; He rode another’s beast; He was buried in another’s tomb.

All others have failed; He never!

The ever perfect one: the Chief among ten thousand; altogether lovely:

THE INCOMPARABLE CHRIST

 

(2) Jesus There Is Something About That Name Sunday, Mar 14 2010 

Uncategorized kennethbow 5:26 am

If you look for Him, you will see Him…

In Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers Jesus is there. He was there in every chapter and every line.  You will see Him in the coats of skin that cover Adam and Eve’s sin.  You will see Jesus in the blood of Able that speaks of better things.

You will see Jesus in Moses’ face , sent to deliver his people out of Egypt.  You will see Jesus in the blood on the doorpost and lintel.

If you look for Him, you’ll see Him in the meal offering, for He is the bread of life.

You’ll see Him in the wave offering for He was offered up for our sins.

You’ll see Him in the drink offering, for He was poured out so I could be saved.

You’ll see Him in the feast of weeks and feast of the tabernacle.  He is my tabernacle, my outer court, my inner court, my holiest of holies.

He is my meal offering, my drink offering, my bread, my incense.

He is the door by which if any man shall enter in, he shall find green pastures.

He is the candlestick that lights my way into the presence of God.

He is my light, my bread, His blood is my wine, He is the veil; for when the Roman soldier pierced His side, the veil was rent in twain.

The rending of His flesh gives me access to the Father.  I have stepped behind the veil into the holiest of holies, because of Jesus.

Don’t look down your nose at me when I praise Him.  He is my “all in all”, my everything!

He is Aaron’s rod that budded, my high priest, my pot of manna, He is my ark of the testimony, He is my fulfilled law, He is my Sabbath, for when I am in Him I find rest and peace!  I cease from my labors and find rest.  “Come unto me all ye that labor… I will give you rest”.

He is my Shekinah glory, He is my glory of God.  He lights my dungeon.

He is my cloud by day pillar of fire by night, my brazen serpent in the wilderness – I had been bitten by sin, but He was lifted up and I am healed.

He is my tree that was thrown into the bitter waters of Mara, He changed my bitter life into sweet water, He is my rock, smitten on Calvary, whose gushing waters quench the thirsting of my life.

Jesus, There Is Something About That Name!

Tomorrow….The Incomparable Christ…see you then.

 

Jesus…..There’s Something About That Name Saturday, Mar 13 2010 

Uncategorized kennethbow 7:44 am

(For the next few days I will be posting about Jesus.)

Jesus…there’s something about that name!

His names are many.  The Messiah, Son of Man, Son of David, King of Israel, Savior, Servant, The Prophet, Son of God, and the Christ.  He was hailed and acclaimed as the being who held the highest spiritual status attainable in human form.  The perfect one,  the Avatar, God as man.

To some he was nothing more than an extraordinarily wise and compassionate teacher.  To others he was a political revolutionary who had divinity projected upon him by his followers.  To some he is just a myth, a legend; he never really existed at all.

No figure in history has provoked so much controversy and debate, nor inspired so much faith, as Jesus. Today the religion based on His teachings called Christianity, is the largest religion in the world.  1 Billion, 900 hundred million, on every continent, in almost every country.

The Mexican peasant in his hovel claims to be a Christian.  The Cardinal in Rome, in rich robes and elegant rings, claims to be a Christian.  The African learning English in a missionary school, is a Christian.  The New York business man signing papers in his office 30 floors above wall street, is a Christian.

Christianity has spread across the globe touching every culture and society on earth.  Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God.  He was sent to earth to save humanity from their ignorance, suffering, and sin.

What we know about Jesus comes almost exclusively from the gospels.  Jesus left no writings, so the gospels are the primary source of information about His life.

Matthew and John knew Jesus and followed Him.  Luke and Mark received their information from others.

There are all kinds of debate among scholars.  Some say none of these men ever really knew Jesus and did not even use their real names.  They question everything; they are skeptics.

In the time Jesus lived, there was a strong oral tradition of passing information from generation to generation.  This oral tradition was an art form.  People carefully memorized the information.  They worked hard at retaining the original facts and flavor.  This oral method of preserving information was how Homer’s Iliad and Oddessy were preserved.  It is more reliable than our modern journalism. Some prodigys memorized up to a million words by the time they were 12 years of age.

The earliest information written on Jesus that does not come from His followers comes several years after His death.  There are remarks by Josephus, who wrote around 90 AD.  Pliney the younger wrote about 112 AD, Tacitus wrote around 115 AD, and Seutonius wrote around 120 AD.

When you combine all these, Christian and non-Christian, we get a basic outline of Jesus life.  There are large gaps in Jesus life we have no information on.  We do know of His birth in Bethlehem. His birth was probably around 6BC, when Herod the great was King.  There is a brief glimpse when Jesus is 12, then nothing more until He becomes an adult.

Jesus was born in Palestine.  It had always been a troubled area, bathed in blood.  This area was shuttled back and forth between world powers, Assyria, Babylon, Greece, Antioch Epiphanies, and Rome.  In 63 BC Pompey the Roman General captured Jerusalem.  The Romans allowed the Jews to retain their religion, and a figure head king (Herod). Then the Romans simply appointed a Governor to rule over Judea after Herod Archelaus was removed because of his cruelty.

Pompey was defeated in 63 BC, by Julius Caesar.  Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC.  Mark Antony came briefly to power, and then Octavian replaced Mark Antony.

Through all of this Herod and his line maneuvered and kept the title “King of the Jews”.  The Romans mocked, and smiled indulgently at this absurdity.

After Herod massacred the infants, Herod’s son, Archelaus, took the throne.  The night his father Herod the Great died, Herod Archelaus became tetrarch of Judea, Idumea and Samaria.  Another son Antipas was given Galilee and Perea.  Phillip became tetrarch of Trachonitis, Iturea, Batanea and Auranitis.  Caesar approved this.

Remember… Joseph and Mary had to flee to Egypt to escape Herod the Great, but when Herod Antipas imprisoned John the Baptist, Jesus simply left because Herod Antipas had authority only in Galilee.

These Herods were wicked men.  Archelaus inaugurated his reign the night his father died, carousing with friends, and slaughtered 3000 Jews in the Temple.  The Jews appealed to Caesar and Archelaus was banished.  So Judea was free of Herods.

Caesar said, okay I’ll appoint a ruler, so he appointed Quirinius Caponius, then Ambivius, Annius Rufus, Valerius Gratus, then Pontius Pilate.  Pilate ruled from 26-36 AD.  Pilate was so cruel Rome removed him 3-6 years after the Crucifixion.  It was his cruelty that led to his dismissal.

The Romans divided the area into Judea (with Jerusalem) and Galilee.  In the New Testament,  Judea was governed by Pilate; Galilee was governed by Herod’s family.  (This is the reason Pilate sent Jesus to Herod; Herod was the puppet king of Galilee).

The people of Palestine suffered terribly under both the Romans and the Herods.

 

The Psalms Friday, Mar 12 2010 

Uncategorized kennethbow 8:23 am

Psalms

God gave mankind the five books of the law and a grateful mankind gave back to God the five books of the Psalms.

  • Book 1 chapters 1-41
  • Book 2 chapters 42-72
  • Book 3 chapters 73-89
  • Book 4 chapters 90-106
  • Book 5 chapters 107-150

The collators of the Psalms took time to place these books in their current order to correspond with the first five books.

  • Book 1 relates to Genesis
  • Book 2 relates to Exodus
  • Book 3 relates to Leviticus
  • Book 4 relates to Numbers
  • Book 5 relates to Deuteronomy

God presented mankind with the law and a grateful Israel responded with a Pentateuch of praise in acknowledgment of God’s gift.  The psalms are a second Pentateuch, the echo of the first.  This may be pure conjecture, but the existence of this idea from ancient times shows that the five fold division attracted early support in history.

Placed in the center of the Bible, rising like a tune from the very heart of the Bible are these songs!  These songs wrestle with the deepest sorrow and ask God the hardest questions. These songs cry out to God and at other times shout for pure joy.  The God they sing of is not a distant God, but a God that is near and personal.

They span over a thousand years of human circumstances.  There is a psalm to match every human emotion and mood! They put your unspoken thoughts into words and form your unspoken conversation toward man and toward God.  They give backbone to the raging emotions of humanity.

Psalm 1 and 2 have been called the orphan psalms and are the introduction to the entire body of psalms.  God starts out with Blessed (happy) is the man who does not do certain things.

True happiness is not in unbridled liberty, but rather in the restrictions God places in our lives.  The more narrow the channel, the more raging the current.  No boundaries or limits allow a body of water to be one inch deep and forty miles wide.

Such is our lives.  When God’s boundaries are observed, our lives are happy and blessed.  When those boundaries are ignored or removed, we are a stagnant unhappy people.

The last 5 psalms are the great doxologies of the Temple.  They were written for and sung at the dedication of the repatriated temple.  There is not a single syllable of complaint or request in these last psalms.  They are pure undistilled praise.  Each one begins and ends with “Praise ye the Lord”!

The authors:

  • David 73 psalms
  • Asaph 12 psalms
  • Sons of Korah 9 psalms
  • Solomon 2 psalms
  • Moses 1 psalm
  • Roughly one third are anonymous

The psalms were used in the temple daily:

  • Monday psalm 48
  • Tuesday psalm 82
  • Wednesday psalm 94
  • Thursday psalm 81
  • Friday psalm 93
  • Saturday psalm 92
  • Sunday psalm 24

The subscriptions and superscriptions above and below the psalms are important. Many people do not even notice them. They add explanation and impact.  Here is a list that I have of the titles, subscriptions and superscriptions.

  • Aijeleth shahar- the day dawn
  • Al Alamoth- relationg to maidens (sopranos)
  • Al Taschith- destroy not
  • Gittith- the winepress (sang at harvest of grapes)
  • Higgaion- a soliloquy or meditation
  • Jeduthun- name of one of the 3 chief musicians
  • Jonath Elim Rechokim- the dove in the far off Terebinth trees
  • Mahalath- the great dance
  • Mahalath leannoth- the great dancing and shouting
  • Maschil- understanding or teaching psalm
  • Michtam- engraving, permanent writing
  • Muth Labben- death of a champion
  • Neginoth- smitings (like smiting  a string on an instrument to bring forth music)
  • Nehiloth- the great inheritance
  • Psalm
  • Selah- pause like a musical rest, can mean “what do you think of that?”
  • Sheminith- the eighth
  • Shiggaion- loud passionate cry, emotional outburst
  • Shoshannim- lilies, re: Passover feast

To understand the psalm adds greater meaning.  Example, when David sinned with Bathsheba he repented and said he would teach transgressors God’s ways.  Psalm 32 is the psalm David wrote for that purpose.  It is a maschil psalm, a teaching psalm, to teach the transgressor how to get back to God.

Putting words to music somehow imbeds them deeper into our memory.  Like a child learning the ABC song, these psalms were sung to drive the lesson deep into the learner’s mind.

How important are the psalms?  When dying on the cross, Jesus quotes from the psalms! (22.1,31.5).  In the disciples efforts to explain Jesus’ life, they quote the psalms more than any other book or part of the Bible.

On a personal note, I believe the 119th psalm was written by Daniel.  There is much speculation about this.  Some attribute it to Hezekiah.  My reason is the writer makes no mention of the temple, or the ritual law.  The writer has powerful enemies who could do him harm. He is a young man. He is in love with the word.  That picture speaks to me of someone in a foreign land without the formal religion to lean on.  The word was all he had, so that became the love of his life!  That speaks to me of Daniel.

May the Bible become that to each of us on our life journey.

 

Will our Apostolic way of life survive? (The Talmud) Wednesday, Mar 10 2010 

Uncategorized kennethbow 12:00 am

The Talmud

I suppose at first thought, you might wonder why a note on the Talmud, when many other books of the Bible are not included yet.  There are a couple of reasons.

First, I wanted to include some things that give support and understanding on how God views our journey here on earth.

Secondly, I wanted to include the note on the Talmud because it supports our position on holiness in this present day.

The Torah is the Jewish name for the Pentateuch.  The Pentateuch is the first five books of the Bible.  The Talmud is the collection of commentary from Jewish Rabbis on the Torah.

Why would this be important to us as gentiles?  My answer is it provides such a beautiful example of how to survive in a world that does not understand us as Apostolics.  To live in our world, which views us as outdated and eccentric, is becoming more difficult as society drifts farther and farther from the principals of the Bible.

The Jew has survived in every century, in every culture, and in every continent.  The Jewish life is as strong today as it was 2000 years ago.  As Apostolics, we need to adopt some of the same principles to insure we do not lose our identity.

The five books of Moses can be written out in about 350 pages.  The Talmud now takes up 523 books in 22 volumes.  As the Jew was scuttled from empire to empire, the need arose for a protection from the blows without and the pressure from within.  The Talmud has provided that.  The Talmud has become the home of the Jew no matter where he lives in the world.  The Talmud has single handedly provided the survival of the Jewish person.

As Apostolics, it appears to me that we are in danger of losing our heritage of holiness.  More and more I see whole churches assimilated into our worlds culture and mores.  We need holiness and separation more than ever before.

The way we dress and live must not die with this generation!  As simple as it may seem, our standards are what will keep us separated from the world.  Simple things like sleeve length, and the distinction of dress between male and female, are critical to the survival of the Apostolic heritage.  It provides us with the cold concrete of protection from the blows that come from without.

In the Talmud, there are many issues that may seem insignificant.  But upon inspection the Talmud provided the Jew with answers to the baffling questions of life.  The Talmud has done more to preserve the Jewish way of life than any other factor.

This oral law that has been discussed over the centuries has kept the Jewish people uniquely Jewish.  It is my hope that our holiness standards will keep us Apostolic in a world that has lost all sense of direction!

The Rabbi’s have haggled over every phase of Jewish life!  They have argued over every word and comma.  In the process of mulling all this over, they created a mandate for survival in a hostile world.

When the world attacked, the Talmud was there to soften the blow and stiffen the will.  Other ancient cultures have faded from the earth, but the Jew has survived.  Can we learn a lesson from them?

The authors of the Talmud seemed to think that no issue was to small to discuss.  They would debate for months whether a person could wear a false tooth on the Sabbath.  A tailor could not take his needle in his hand just before the Sabbath because he might forget and go out with it. You could have candy in your mouth as long as it was put in your mouth before the Sabbath began.

They discussed for nine years one statement in the law; “Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother’s milk”.  From this one issue came the whole idea of Kosher food and food that was not Kosher.

Our first response might be, that is foolish and insignificant.  But never forget it is the small things that have kept them as a people.  They have survived.

We need to appreciate the “small” things if we are going to preserve this Apostolic way of life.  Our standards of dress are important to our survival.  Our standards of what we watch and what entertainment we allow is important to our future.  Our survival depends on the small things.

I will be the first to admit that the Rabbis went to extremes to preserve the Jewish way of life.  However, it is beyond argument that the Jew has survived while other people have been assimilated and have vanished from the stage of time.

Our survival as a distinct people depends on the small things.  We must maintain our holiness and our standards of life.

When they become unimportant, you can write the epitaph of the Apostolic movement.

 

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