Ruminations in Theology


“ …My father, you have given your word to the LORD; do to me as you have said…” Judges 11:36    Imagine feeling elated anticipating your father’s return home after he was away at war for a long period of time.  Moreover, you have heard reports of his triumphant campaign and burst out the door of his house in celebration to greet him. Such was the case regarding Jephthah’s daughter (“… [she came] out to meet him with tambourines and with dancing…”),when her father and “judge” of Israel, arrived home (Jud. 11:34).  However, her exuberance quickly turned to sorrow after seeing and hearing her father express anguish upon seeing her, “…he tore his clothes and said, ‘Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you are among those who trouble me; for I have given my word to the LORD, and I cannot take it back.’” (Jud. 11:35).  Tragically, Jephthah so desperately wanted victory in battle over the Ammonites, that he made an imbecilic and costly oath to God: “If Thou wilt indeed give the sons of Ammon into my hand, then it shall be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the sons of Ammon, it shall be the LORD’s, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.” (Jud. 11:30-31).  That pledge turned out to be his only child and precious virgin daughter, who emerged from his house.  Tragically, her jubilance for the occasion would prove to be in vain, for she inadvertently was celebrating her own sacrifice.  The New American Commentary’, Daniel Block notes: “Not only would she die, never having conceived and borne a child, but because Jephthah had no other children, his seed would die with her …with his vow Jephthah tried to secure his present, but through it he ends up sacrificing his future.” 1 Scripture does not reveal if Jephthah told his daughter the details of his vow, but her knowledge of her father’s triumph was accurate: “So she said to him, ‘My father, you have given your word to the LORD; do to me as you have said, since the LORD has avenged you of your enemies, the sons of Ammon.’” (Jud. 11:36, cf. Num. 30:2, Eccl. 5:4-5).  Moreover, Jephthah’s daughter spoke words that most of us, if not all of us, would never dare utter: “…do to me [kill me] as you have said [vowed]”.  If she was made aware that her father’s pledge entailed her being slain and offered as a burnt sacrifice, she appeared undaunted.  Her courage in the face of imminent physical...

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Jesus “Opened not His Mouth”

Jesus “Opened not His Mouth”


Posted By on Nov 28, 2020

On that dark night, Peter, one of Jesus’ disciple acted impetuously but sincerely when he wielded a sword and hacked off the ear of the slave of Israel’s high priest, Malchus. (Matt. 26:51, John 18:10).  Peter attempted to defend his Lord from the armed mob that came to arrest Him, however such protection was not needed by Jesus.  After miraculously restoring the man’s severed ear (Luke 22:51), Jesus said to Peter: “Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matt. 26:52—emphasis added).  This is a fascinating declaration by the Lord Jesus Christ and one worth investigating further.  In the time of Christ, a legion of Roman military was made up of 6,000 soldiers.  And yet, Jesus could have beckoned for more than twelve legions of angels to come instantly to His aid.  This would mean 72,000 warrior angels!  It is recorded in Scripture that a single Angel protected Israel by slaying 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night (2 Kin. 19:35).  So, multiplying 185,000 [men] x 72,000 [angels] equals 13,320,000,000.  Amazingly, if Jesus so desired, He could have had His angels slay more than 13,320,000,000 men!  This astronomical figure is nearly two times today’s world population.   Therefore, if Jesus chose to resist arrest and fight the Roman soldiers and the raucous throng that came for Him, it undoubtedly would have been ridiculously easy for Him to overcome: “Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales; behold, He lifts up the islands like fine dust.” (Isa. 40:15).  Instead, Jesus went with them silently and without the slightest struggle; “He opened not His mouth.” (Isa. 53:7, cf. 1 Pet. 2:23).  O how fortunate it was that “the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen this way?” (Matt. 26:54).  That the Son of God remained obedient to His Father’s will regardless of the circumstance: “…Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself…I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” (Jn. 5:19a, 30b).  And what was the Father’s will?  Answer: for His Son to remain humble, obedient, silent, and suffer a horrendous death on the cross for undeserving sinners.  In other words, Jesus willingly received the cup of His Father’s wrath as propitiation for the sins of all believing mankind.  All things leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion, and the crucifixion itself, occurred exactly as God preordained it: The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together...

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“And immediately the Spirit impelled Him to go out into the wilderness.” Mark 1:12 When most Christians think of Jesus Christ’s suffering, they usually think of His crucifixion; when He atoned for the sins of those who would believe in Him.  It is true Jesus suffered excruciating physical pain at the hands of evil men, and infinitely more from His Father’s wrath poured out on Him on the cross (Acts 2:23, Isa. 53:10, cf. Heb. 4:15).  However, Jesus suffered His entire ministry: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45).  The moment after Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, Scripture records the Holy Spirit immediately drove Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil (Mark 1:10, 12).   Of the three synoptic Gospels that record the Temptation of Christ, only the Gospel of Mark documents Jesus being forcefully driven into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit: “And immediately the Spirit impelled 1 Him to go out into the wilderness.” (Mark 1:12).   Interestingly, the Holy Spirit who only previously gently rested on Jesus “like a dove”, had violently driven the Suffering Servant into the wilderness to be tested.    Furthermore, God’s Word states Jesus fasted forty days in that arid, parched desert.  John MacArthur notes: [The Gospels] Matthew and Luke indicate that Jesus went the entire forty-day period without food (Matt. 4:2, Luke 4:2) …He had to face and conquer His strongest enemy even when He was at His weakest.  Mark’s description of Jesus’ temptation implies that the Lord was being tempted by Satan throughout the entire six-week period 2    Additionally, Jesus was ordained by God to suffer from the time of His Temptation to the time of His death on the cross. (Mark 1:12, Acts 3:18, 4:27-28).   Moreover, He suffered at the hands of man’s [and God’s] greatest foe, Satan.  It is a staggering truth to contemplate, that “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” (Jn. 3:16).  Jesus suffered immensely in His physical life, so believers will not suffer in their eternal life: “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Cor. 5:21).  Hallelujah, what a Savior!    1 Impelled, Ekballo: To lead one forth or away somewhere with a force which he cannot resist.”, Biblehub.com, Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, Electronic Database.   Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2006, 2011 by Biblesoft, Inc.  2 John MacArthur, The MacArthur...

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“…they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead.”  Acts 14:19b The Apostle Paul having just healed a lame man, so captivated the people of Lystra they extolled him and Barnabas as incarnate gods (Acts 14:8-11).  But envious, wicked Jews came from Iconium and Antioch and persuaded the multitude to turn violently against Paul.  Poisoned by Satanic lies of the Jews, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead (Acts 14:19).  Scripture records moments later when his disciples gathered around him, he arose and entered the city.  Amazingly, the very next day he and Barnabas traveled approximately fifty miles to the city of Derbe and once arriving there, preached the gospel (Acts 14:20).  The Lord must have performed a supernatural healing of Paul, for he was most likely a bloody pulp and in a moribund state, if not dead.  What is even more amazing than Paul’s miraculous survival, was that from Derbe he returned to Lystra–the very city where his murderers resided (Acts 14:21).   So why did Paul return to such a hostile and pernicious venue?  Most believers, if not all, would have fled fast and far from such an inflammatory environment; but not Paul, he did not faint from valiantly risking his life.  Selflessly, he hoped to encourage the brethren, who may have witnessed firsthand or heard of the pandemonium which culminated with his stoning.  Paul exhorted them to abide in faith, declaring: “…Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:22b).    Paul’s fearlessness was not foreign to him, it was the power of the Holy Spirit engrained within him (Jn. 14:17, 2 Tim. 1:7).  For example, when he had called the Ephesian elders together, to instruct them with a parting exhortation, he said: “And now, behold, bound in spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there,  except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, in order that I may finish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.” (Acts 20:22-24).   When Paul was departing Caesarea, he was warned by brethren there of the imminent danger awaiting him at Jerusalem: “…a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.  And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, ‘This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In...

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Goliath: An Easy Defeat for God

Goliath: An Easy Defeat for God


Posted By on Apr 17, 2020

“And David put his hand into his bag and took from it a stone and slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead. And the stone sank into his forehead, so that he fell on his face to the ground.” 1 Sam. 17:49 The David and Goliath battle has always been a very popular Bible story, for Christian and even secular people.  For most, there is a certain satisfaction reading about the underdog David, defeating the formidable foe Goliath. Comparing God’s tiny nation of Israel to the vast secular and hostile world is like comparing David, the small shepherd boy, a mere child– to the behemoth giant of a man, Goliath.  There is however one very significant factor in this apparent mismatch—God!  It is imperative to remember that God chose and set His eternal covenant love upon David and Israel.  Therefore, no enemy can harm “the apple(s) of God’s eye” (Ps. 17:8, Zech. 2:8).  God would deliver His beloved from their enemies and do so in miraculous fashion. That said, under the leadership of King Saul, the army of Israel went up against the Philistines in battle.  When they saw the imposing Philistine champion Goliath approaching, they became terrified and fled (1 Sam. 17:21, 24).  When the young shepherd boy David saw his fellow Israelites stricken with terror, he went before King Saul and vowed he would slay the giant Philistine, with God’s help (1 Sam. 17:32, 36-37).   When King Saul saw young David’s zeal, he capitulated to his request.  Now Goliath was well-armed and adorned with heavy protective armor: “Then a champion came out from the armies of the Philistines named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span [nearly ten feet tall].  And he had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was clothed with scale-armor which weighed five thousand shekels of bronze [one hundred and twenty-five pounds].   He also had bronze greaves on his legs and a bronze javelin slung between his shoulders.  And the shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the head of his spear weighed six hundred shekels of iron [fifteen pounds]; his shield-carrier also walked before him.” (1 Sam. 17:4-7–brackets added). Armed with a shepherd’s staff, a sling and five smooth stones retrieved from a nearby brook, the small shepherd-boy was unafraid and filled with confidence as he proceeded to battle Goliath (1 Sam. 17:40). David was secure in knowing the God of Israel would deliver Goliath into his hands: “Then David said to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in...

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Do Not Fear The Unknown

Do Not Fear The Unknown


Posted By on Apr 11, 2020

“And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”                                       Matt. 10:28 Are Christians supposed to be afraid?  Does feeling or exhibiting “fear” of anyone or anything give glory to our eternal Creator?  Yes, we will experience times of sorrow and grief in life, but they should never take us to the point of despair.  Jesus ostensively commanded believers not to worry about life’s necessities: “For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body than clothing?” (Matt. 6:25).  Additionally, the Bible is clear regarding how Christians are to conduct life—not to be fearful of anyone or anything—but only to fear God Himself (Matt. 10:28, Luke 12:4-5).  When Jesus sent out His twelve disciples to herald the Lord’s kingdom, it was their first time out from under His auspices (Matt. 10:5-42).  It was a new chapter in the life of the fledgling messengers–no longer were they only followers of their Teacher but were formally being sent out by their Lord.   Being messengers of His gospel and the kingdom to come, is what Jesus had trained and instructed His disciples to do.  The disciples would traverse in “unknown” land, venues and temperaments.  It was a message met with hostility—Jesus forewarned them: “But beware of men; for they will deliver you up to the courts, and scourge you in their synagogues;  and you shall even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.” (Matt. 10:17-18).  The twelve were instructed to walk by faith and trust in God because He would provide for them.  (Matt. 10:19-20, cf. 6:31-32). Jesus’ disciples were told to preach the message, no matter how difficult and how high the cost: “And brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death.  And you will be hated by all on account of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.” (Matt. 10:21-22, cf. 34-36).  Imagine how Jesus’ strong words of instruction must have evoked fear and terror in the hearts of His disciples, for they knew they must obey their Lord.  Furthermore, He commanded: “And do not fear those who kill the body,...

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