A daily study through the unfamiliar and misunderstood in the Bible

Joseph L. Williams

DIGGINGDEEPER

Copyright © 2015 by Feed the Hunger. All rights reserved.Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®

Printed in the USA

A daily study through the unfamiliar and misunderstood in the Bible

Joseph L. Williams

DIGGINGDEEPER

Table of ContentsIntroduction

Day 1: The 35,000 Foot View Day 2: Star Light, Star Bright Day 3: Three Heavens Day 4: Half Man, Half AngelDay 5: Stones on the ChestDay 6: Sticks and StonesDay 7: Heavenly BeingsDay 8: Two Strange CreaturesDay 9: Get Out of Here, Baldy!Day 10: An Axhead FloatsDay 11: The Treasure that is Jerusalem Day 12: The Three GiftsDay 13: Jesus’ Siblings Day 14: Say What? Day 15: Mustard and Mulberry Day 16: Sad, You SeeDay 17: Sit Down, Moses Day 18: Phylacteries and TasselsDay 19: Mites, Minas, and TalentsDay 20: Snakes and PoisonDay 21: The Holy GrailDay 22: 39 LashesDay 23: The Place of the SkullDay 24: Eloi, Eloi, Lama Sabachthani?Day 25: Jesus is a ThiefDay 26: Speaking in TonguesDay 27: Blind Man’s BluffDay 28: AreopagusDay 29: Hey. You, There. Christian.Day 30: Two DeathsConclusion

579

1113151719212325272931333537394143454749515355576163656769

Introduction

As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man

building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it,

because it was well built.Luke 6:47-48

The mission statement of Feed the Hunger is to feed the spiritual and physical hunger in the needy. You are well familiar that providing nu-tritious meals to at-risk children and families is currently our primary focus on the physical hunger side. Included on the spiritual hunger side is not only meeting these kinds of needs in our partner countries, but also the spiritual hunger in ourselves. We are all “needy” because we are lost without the Lord. We need His guidance every day through His Word, the Holy Spirit, and other humble believers.

In the first devotional I wrote, The Search for Truth, we took a jour-ney together through misused and misquoted Bible verses and sayings. I hope you have read it and were edified by it. If you would like a free hard copy booklet of this first study, just email us: info@feedthehunger.org or call: 1-888-772-9634.

God has burdened me – particularly this year – to encourage other believers to dig deeper into His Word. So much of our exposure to the Scriptures is through sound bites that we are spoon fed, often from ques-tionable sources (Hebrews 5:12-14). We take little or no effort to read entire Bible passages or to study the historical and cultural perspectives of the verse or verses in question.

This next devotional continues this journey, and with a noticeable Jewish emphasis. My goal is to encourage you into your own deeper study of the Bible and other additional resources. Therefore, it only made sense to use the title, Digging Deeper. Most of these daily devotionals fall into one of two categories:

1. Things in the Bible that you might be completely unaware of2. Things that are in the Bible but there is a lack of understanding as to the likely meaningFor example, when you read a particular story and you see a word

or phrase like “Sadducee”, “casting lots”, or “speaking in tongues”, do

5

6

you keep on reading or do you seek to understand? There are also words and details that you may not have known were in the Bible because you haven’t read every page of it. My hope is that this study will spur you on towards that kind of deep, spiritual journey of understanding.

God bless you as you dig deeper,

Joseph L. Williams, CEO

P.S. A big thanks to my wife and my mother for proofing this devotional. It’s nice to have women in my life who have free reign to correct me. And they often do!

Day 1

7

The 35,000 Foot View

The epic story that is the Bible

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.

2 Timothy 3:16

As we begin this study, let’s first try to be like an airliner at cruising altitude. Let’s take a look at the big picture of the Bible. Imagine for a second the incredible miracle that the Bible really is. It was not com-posed by one author who locked himself in his house for a year. It was written by around 40 divinely inspired authors over the span of 1,500 years or so.

So, the Bible is not one book, but actually a compilation of 66 books – 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. Some of the authors are unknown, and some are well known like Paul, who wrote the most books. As the verse above states, we believe that all of Scripture has its origins with God, and that He inspired the human authors to write what they did. This is not to say that every translation is perfect because they are flawed.

The first five books, called the Pentateuch, were written by Moses in the 1,400s B.C. Job is the only book that could have been written earlier. Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament was written around 400 B.C. followed by a pause of over four centuries before the New Testa-ment was written over a fifty year period after Jesus’ ascension (@45-95 A.D.). The last book, Revelation, was written by John on the island of Patmos around 95 A.D.

The Bible contains different types of literary styles: historical narra-tive, genealogical, letters, proverbs, poetic, prophetic/apocalyptic, par-ables, etc. This is important to note in order for the reader to rightly understand and interpret. For example, you shouldn’t read a letter, then a proverb, and study them both using the same process of interpretation.

While the Bible was written over 1,500 years, it actually covers around 7,000 years, from creation through the millennial reign of Christ (if the

8

latter is literal; religious scholars differ). Scholars also differ over how much time may have actually passed during the “week” of creation.

Generally speaking though, there were 2,000 years between Adam and Abraham, 2,000 years between Abraham and Jesus, and 2,000 years from Jesus to the present day. Could a 7th “day”of a thousand years be just around the corner?

As we begin this study, my exhortation to you is the same as Paul’s to Timothy:

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly

handles the word of truth.2 Timothy 2:15

Day 2

9

Star Light, Star Bright

The constellations – are they good or bad?

He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiadesand the constellations of the south.

Job 9:9

The most majestic starry sky I have ever seen was in the middle of rural Zimbabwe on a dark night with no electricity to be found. The heavens were so clear that the Milky Way was easily visible. It was an awesome sight!

In the verse above, Job declared that God created specific clusters of stars. He quoted the names that ancient civilizations used. Did you know this was in the Bible? Naming constellations is thousands of years old, and was done by Sumerians, Mesopotamians, Babylonians and Greeks to name a few. Today there are 88 recognized constellations. Around half were named way back then, and the other half came later when constel-lations in the southern sky of the ancient world could be seen with better instruments.

We can all agree that the stars have been invaluable for maritime navi-gation since the very first boats were built. Giving groups of stars names just made sense to locate where you were and where you needed to go. Today, stars don’t really play a noticeable role in our lives. In fact, talk of stars and constellations is somewhat frowned upon in Christian circles because of astrology, signs of the Zodiac, and the daily horoscope that appears in most newspapers or online.

First, we need to acknowledge the obvious. God created the stars in the sky (Genesis 1:14-19). Not only that, Psalm 147:4 tells us that “He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name”. How amazing!

Perhaps it would be good to define and differentiate between astrono-my and astrology. Astronomy is the scientific study of the celestial bod-ies and universe beyond the earth. Astrology is the study (not scientif-ic) of how these celestial bodies supposedly influence the human world

10

based on the month you were born. We know, of course, that only God influences the human world, and everyone and everything does His bid-ding – whether they realize it or not.

Let’s worship God, the Creator of stars, just as Amos did:He who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns midnight into dawn and darkens day into night, who calls for the waters of the sea and

pours them out over the face of the land – the Lord is his name.Amos 5:8

Day 3

11

Three Heavens

The three heavens mentioned in the Bible

Is not God in the heights of heaven? And see how lofty are the highest stars!

Job 22:12

If you have never heard it discussed or studied for yourself about the three heavens mentioned in the Bible, then this thought may startle you or even sound heretical. It will make more sense as you read on.

Simply put, Scripture tells us that there are three heavens above our heads. They are: (1) The air around us or our atmosphere; (2) Outer space with all its celestial bodies; and (3) The location of God’s throne. Perhaps the easiest way to demonstrate this is to simply list a couple of Scriptures for each of the three heavens.

OUR ATMOSPHEREGod called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was

morning–the second day...And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.”

Genesis 1:8, 20The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty,

to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none.

Deuteronomy 28:12

OUTER SPACEThe heavens declare the glory of God; the skies

proclaim the work of his hands.Psalm 19:1

The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light.

Isaiah 13:10

12

GOD’S DWELLING PLACEI know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the

third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know–God knows.

2 Corinthians 12:2Instead, they were longing for a better country–heavenly one. Therefore

God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Hebrews 11:16

God is certainly not contained in the third heaven because He is om-niscient and omnipresent. We should find peace in that reality, and that He dwells in us now through the Holy Spirit. Let’s look forward to the heavenly body and heavenly dwelling place that God has prepared for those who follow Him (2 Corinthians 5:1-10).

Day 4

13

Half Man, Half Angel

Who were the Nephilim?

The Nephilim were on the earth in those days–and also afterward–when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by

them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.Genesis 6:4

This story in Genesis 6 might sound like something right out of a sci-ence fiction movie. Prior to God directing Noah to build the ark, the earth became populated and wicked. It states in verse two that “sons of God” were attracted to human women and then married them. As a result of the intermarrying (the verse above), their offspring apparently became warrior giants.

First, who were the “sons of God”? This Hebrew phrase is also used in Job 1:6, and is interchanged with the word, “angels”. Satan and the fallen angels presented themselves to God after they had been “roaming throughout the earth”. Thereafter, they began to make Job’s life a living Hell with God’s permission. This was to prove Job’s unshakeable faith in God.

“Sons of God” can also be found in Psalm 29:1: “Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings (or mighty ones or sons of God), ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.”

The only other place that the word “Nephilim” is used is in Numbers 13:33: “We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.” If taken literally, these descendants of Ne-philim were rather tall. It would seem in the passage, however, that this word might have been used as an exaggeration due to the people’s fear of them.

Most of the oldest translations of this word, Nephilim, mean “giants” or “fallen ones”. Regardless, one could easily conclude that the Nephil-im were all killed during the great flood, and perhaps were one of the main reasons God brought about this complete destruction of the earth.

14

If Numbers 13 is literal, then the “sons of God” may have been allowed to lie with human women after the flood. If these actually were a race of half man/half fallen angel, and evil giants at that, imagine the harm they would have brought!

We still battle against Satan and his fallen angels today:For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers,

against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Ephesians 6:12

Day 5

15

Stones on the Chest

The 12 stones that adorned the breastpiece

Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision

as a continuing memorial before the Lord.Exodus 28:29

Ever since I was a kid, I have enjoyed viewing and collecting precious and semi-precious stones. When I heard about the bejeweled breastpiece that the high priest wore in the Old Testament era, I was intrigued.

In Exodus 28, God laid out through Moses the type of garments that his brother, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons, were to wear as they carried out their priestly duties. This included: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a wo-ven tunic, a turban and a sash (vs. 4). The description of the breastpiece in particular caught my attention because of the 12 stones that adorned it. The reason for 12 stones was because they represented the 12 sons of Jacob, who later became known as the 12 tribes of Israel (vs. 21). They were (in birth order): Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun Joseph, and Benjamin.

The breastpiece was made of fine yarn, linen, and gold with four rows of three stones each. Each stone had the name of each tribe engraved on it. The true identity of these stones is not fully known. Over time, the various translations gave them identities that closely resembled what was thought to fit the best. Many of our modern day gemstones could not have been cut or engraved upon during the Old Testament era. Having given this disclaimer, the NIV translation uses the following names:

• First row - carnelian, chrysolite, and beryl • Second row - turquoise, lapis lazuli, and emerald• Third row - jacinth, agate, and amethyst• Fourth row - topaz, onyx, and jasper

These 12 stones are the foundation for our birthstones today. Further, I find it amazing and more than coincidental that most or all of these same stones are used to describe the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21. The city

16

had 12 gates, one for each of the 12 tribes. The foundation of the city’s walls contained 12 stones that sure seem to be the same ones described in the breastplate. There is a whole lot more worth studying here, but simply not the space to do it.

Here’s a reminder of the breastplate that Paul admonished all believers to wear:

But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.

1 Thessalonians 5:8 (see also Ephesians 6:14)

Day 6

17

Sticks and Stones

What does casting lots mean?

Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.

Acts 1:26

In Hebrew culture, God’s people used “lots” to determine His will in a particular matter. Other ancient cultures did this as well. Perhaps you were not aware that this practice was in the Bible. Or you read it, didn’t understand what it meant, and just moved on without knowing the an-swer.

Lots were small sticks or stones that were somehow identified as ei-ther yes or no as the two choices. These stones went by the names, Urim and Thummim and were kept in the priest’s breastpiece (Exodus 28:30, Leviticus 8:8). They were shaken like dice and then dropped. The same answer would have to come up consecutively to be God’s answer.

Proverbs 16:33 basically summarized this short process: “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.” They believed God was sovereign over the results.

There are many instances of casting lots in the Bible, and this was done in various circumstances, by followers of God and non-followers alike. For example, under the supervision of the prophet Samuel, lots were used to determine who would be the next king of Israel (I Samuel 10:20-21). God’s people cast lots to figure out the 10% of the population that would relocate to Jerusalem (Nehemiah 11:1). The sailors on the boat Jonah was aboard cast lots to determine whose fault it was that they were caught in a deadly storm (Jonah 1:7).

After Jesus ascended to heaven, as recorded in Acts 1, many of the believers closest to Jesus were gathered together for prayer. Under Pe-ter’s direction, they cast lots to see who would succeed the dead betray-er, Judas Iscariot. Two men, Barsabbas who was also called Justus, and Matthias. You can tell from verse 26 whose name came up. This was the last instance of casting lots recorded in the Bible.

18

What does this mean for us today? Should we cast lots? I believe that the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts Chapter 2 (after the last instance of casting lots is recorded) nullifies the need for this ancient practice. His Spirit dwells within us to guide our decision-making.

Here is what Jesus shared about the role of the Holy Spirit:But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the

truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

John 16:13

Day 7

19

Heavenly Beings

What/who are the Cherubim and Seraphim?

Above him (the Lord) were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their

feet, and with two they were flying.Isaiah 6:2

Each (cherubim) had four faces and four wings, and under their wings was what looked like human hands.

Ezekiel 10: 21

Seraphim are only directly mentioned in Isaiah 6, though they seemed to be described again in Revelation 4:6-9. In both Bible passages, the seraphim are praising God with the same words: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty”. They were and are doing what He created them to do. The reality that these supernatural beings have six wings is pretty awe-inspiring. The related Hebrew word for seraphim means “to burn”. The same word was used to describe the serpents in the wilderness men-tioned in Numbers 21:8 and Isaiah 30:6 for example. So perhaps these were fiery serpent-like creatures.

Cherubim are mentioned quite a bit more. They have guarded the Gar-den of Eden and tree of life with swords in hand ever since God kicked out Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:24). The entire chapter of Ezekiel 10 has an incredible depiction of the cherubim that almost sounds like some kind of science fiction movie. In short, they have four wings and the faces of a lion, ox, man and eagle (vs. 14).

The cherubim’s likeness decorated parts of the tabernacle and then the temple. Two solid gold cherubim were on top of the Ark of the Covenant, which was called the mercy seat or atonement cover. They faced each other, their wings covered their faces, and they touched in the middle (Exodus 25:10-22). God’s voice came from between the Cherubim as He spoke to Moses (Numbers 7:89). This place on the cover was also where God was enthroned (1 Samuel 4:4, 1 Chronicles 13:6, Psalm 99:1, etc.). This was symbolic because they apparently are guardians of God’s pres-

20

ence. God also rode these winged creatures, though this may be symbol-ic (2 Samuel 22:11, Psalm 18:10).

The seraphim use two of their wings to cover their faces. They cannot behold God directly. Think about that for a minute. He is so holy, and we are so unworthy. But, because of the sacrifice and resurrection of His son, we can approach the throne of grace (Hebrew 4:16). And just like these heavenly creatures, we too should worship the Lord.

Take some time and worship the Lord today:Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with glad-

ness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his

love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.Psalm 100

Day 8

21

Two Strange Creatures

What are the Behemoth and Leviathan?

Look at Behemoth, which I made along with you and which feeds on grass like an ox.

Job 40:15Can you pull in Leviathan with a fishhook or

tie down its tongue with a rope?Job 41:1

Half of Job Chapter 40 and all of Job Chapter 41 were dedicated to describing the Behemoth and Leviathan. Just what manner of creatures were they? Let’s look at clues from these and other passages.

This passage in Job is the only mention of Behemoth in the Bible. We read that it was an herbivore, really strong, had a big tail, and could be found on both land and in water. In verse 19, Job stated that this animal was “first among the works of God”. So it is easy to conclude that the Behemoth was striking to look at.

Now let’s look at Leviathan, which was exclusively a sea creature. Its description is much more terrifying than the Behemoth. With fierce teeth and an armored back, it was not to be trifled with. The Leviathan is also mentioned in Psalm 74:14 and 104:26, and Isaiah 27:1. This last verse describes it as a “gliding serpent”. In both this verse and the latter half of Job 41, it would seem the description is figurative and not really about the creature itself.

You might be surprised to know that the word “unicorn” is also found several times in the King James Version. Why not research this yourself sometime and find out why. Now, let’s get back to the creatures of this study.

Most modern-day research suggests that Behemoth was an elephant or hippopotamus. The Leviathan is speculated to be a crocodile. I doubt either is correct, but this is just an attempt to pick a similar and familiar creature from our day. Who is to say these weren’t creatures that became extinct long before our time? Perhaps they were land and water dwelling

22

descendants of dinosaurs. Regardless of what these two creatures were – literal, exaggerated, or

mythological – it seems that the references to and descriptions of both animals were to demonstrate that God created them, and He alone could subdue them. After all, Genesis 1 told us that He made the water crea-tures on the fifth day, and land creatures on the sixth day. They belong to Him.

This is the reason that God our Creator is worthy of worship:You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest

heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything,

and the multitudes of heaven worship you.Nehemiah 9:6

Day 9

23

Get Out of Here, Baldy!

What in the world is this story about?

From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some boys came out of the town and jeered at him.

“Get out of here, baldy!” they said. “Get out of here, baldy!”2 Kings 2:23

You’re probably wondering if I’m inserting this story as comic relief. Maybe you’re aware that I am “follicly challenged” and am warning you not to make fun of my gloriously balding head, just as Elisha also was in this story. However, the true meaning of these three verses is worth a deeper probe. First, here are the other two verses (24-25):

“He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys. And he went on to Mount Carmel and

from there returned to Samaria.”Wow, what a horrible story – or so it seems. Two bears hurt or killed 42

“boys”. Sounds a bit harsh for some playground name-calling, doesn’t it? Let’s start with a little background. Earlier in this chapter, Elijah is taken up into heaven, and Elisha has succeeded him in prophetic min-istry. Elisha is now on his way to Bethel, a place full of idolatry and wickedness.

The NIV and other translations do a disservice by calling this gather-ing “boys”. In actuality, they were older youths – and probably 20 years old or older. This same Hebrew expression is used to describe young officers in Israel’s army in 1 Kings 20:14. This was no school yard gath-ering. When it says that 42 of them are mauled, there were likely many more in the group. This was probably a mob-like gathering of young men looking to stop Elisha from coming against Bethel. When they yelled, “Get out of here, baldy!” it seemed they were referencing Elijah’s heav-en-going and wanting Elijah to do the same, i.e., go away for good.

Elisha then “called down a curse on them in the name of the Lord”. This was not swearing, but rather turning the matter over to God. See

24

Leviticus 26:21-22 for a similar curse. See also 2 Kings 17:24-25 for another instance where God brought judgment by using animals.

God dealt with the mob severely through a bear attack. It was a sign not to speak against one of His prophets, as well as a warning to those in the Bethel area to turn from their wicked ways. It legitimized Elisha’s succession to Elijah. This story is a great example of why further re-search (digging deeper) is often needed to truly understand God’s Word.

May Jesus do for us what He did for the disciples:Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.

Luke 24:25

Day 10

25

An Axhead Floats

What is the meaning of this story?

As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axhead fell into the water. “Oh no, my lord!” he cried out. “It was borrowed!”

2 Kings 6:5

During the days of Elijah and Elisha, the Hebrew prophets lived in different towns in Israel like Gilgal, Bethel, and Jericho (2 Kings 2). A few chapters later, a strange and miraculous occurrence is told over only seven verses. So let’s look at another strange story from Elisha’s life.

In this story for today, Elisha met up with a company of prophets who wanted to build a place for all the prophets to live together in the Jordan Valley. But first, they needed to construct a large structure. So these men began to cut down trees. At some point, an axhead came off its handle and fell into the water. An iron tool would have been expensive at this point in history even though this story occurs during the Iron Age.

To make matters worse, this particular prophet had borrowed the ax-head. Don’t you hate it when you borrow a tool from a neighbor only to break it? Then you have to purchase a new one for them – and you still lack owning one of your own! The additional problem was that this prophet likely didn’t have the money to purchase another one. He then would have been a bondservant to the axhead’s owner until it was paid off.

But never fear – Elisha is here! God used him to bring the axhead to the surface by throwing a stick in the area where it sunk. Like iron is drawn to a magnet, the axhead came to the surface and the prophet retrieved the precious possession.

What can we learn from this story? Is it so hard to believe that it actu-ally happened? The same God who did this axhead miracle is the same one who also used a stick, Moses’ staff, and turned it into a snake (Exo-dus 4:1-15). His Son also “floated” on water and allowed Peter to do the same (Matthew 14:22-33).

God allowed this faithful company of prophets to witness and partic-

26

ipate in a miracle. He cared for them, and He cares for us. If we seek to carry out His will, we don’t need to be worried about consequences. May He also do wonderful things in and through us as we diligently seek Him and serve Him.

As we trust, lean on, and submit to Him, may He use for His glory:Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understand-ing; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Day 11

27

The Treasure that is Jerusalem

Interesting places in the Holy City

On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations.

All who try to move it will injure themselves.Zechariah 12:3

I have had the privilege of going to the Holy Land twice. To walk in the same cities, towns, and even exact locations that Jesus once did, was a very humbling and awe-inspiring experience, particularly in Jerusa-lem. On both occasions, our Christian tour group went through Heze-kiah’s Tunnel in the Holy City. If you are claustrophobic, this is not an experience for you. Some areas get as narrow as two feet wide and less than four feet high. Depending on how high the water level is at the time of your journey, this can get a little interesting!

This 1,700+ foot tunnel was chiseled out by hand to connect the Gihon Spring with the Pool of Siloam (2 Kings 20:20, 2 Chronicles 32:30). Solomon was anointed King at Gihon by Nathan the prophet (I Kings 1:38). The Pool of Siloam should be familiar to you. Jesus spit on dirt and made mud, putting it on a blind man’s eyes. He then told the man to wash in the pool and he was healed (John 9). These are but a few of the many sites in Jerusalem.

My family and I were recently in Washington D.C. While we were in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, we watched a 3D IMAX documentary about Jerusalem. It stated that the reason this ancient city was so appealing to people for millennia was because of its precious resource – water.

This city is first mentioned as Salem in Genesis 14:18. It is also where David purchased land on Mount Moriah to build an altar to God (2 Sam-uel 24:18-24). It later became the site of the First and Second Temples. Centuries later, this same piece of real estate was claimed by the Mus-lims as one of their holy sites. For many more centuries up to the present, the battle has raged for God’s Holy Land and City. What an incredible

28

place it still is today.Despite the seemingly unending instability in the Middle East, I highly

recommend a pilgrimage to Israel and Jerusalem. It is amazing to walk where Jesus walked. The Bible will come even more alive to you. If you can’t make this journey, there are still many quality DVD and online series that have been produced.

John reminds us of a future Jerusalem that we will all enjoy: I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

Revelation 21:2

Day 12

29

The Three Gifts

Why did the Magi bring their particular gifts?

On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their trea-

sures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.Matthew 2:11

The Magi or “wise men” (this latter name was popularized by the King James Version) from the east are a popular component of the Christmas story. They came to Jerusalem first, expecting the King of the Jews to be born in the capital. They met with King Herod, and he directed them six miles south to Bethlehem, since this was the prophesied location men-tioned in the book of Micah (5:2). The Magi followed the star that led them to the place where the Savior was born. They presented the baby Jesus with three gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh (although in reality, Jesus was actually a toddler by the time they visited). The fact that there were three gifts is probably why three Magi are represented in the Nativ-ity. Why these three gifts?

I’m sure you are well familiar with gold. Frankincense is a gum-like substance that derives from the juice of a tree in the balsam family. It’s used primarily as perfume, medicine, and in religious ceremonies (Ex-odus 30:34-38). Myrrh is a valuable spice and perfume that also comes from a tree. It was used in embalming.

Why these three gifts is the question at hand. Here is what I believe is the primary reason. Exchanging of gifts was an Eastern custom, so this was not unusual (Genesis 43:11, I Samuel 9:7-8). Likewise in I Kings 10:1-13, we read that Queen Sheba visited from Arabia and gave King Solomon “120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones”. Also, in Isaiah 60, it mentions gold and incense as gifts brought from foreign lands to bless Jerusalem.

What are some other possible symbolic reasons? Some scholars be-lieve the gold represented Jesus as the Coming King (Matthew 2:2). Frankincense was used in the temple, and Jesus is our High Priest (He-

30

brews 2:17). In John 19:38-42, we know that myrrh was used on the body of Jesus as He was prepared for the tomb. Was this gift from the Magi to foreshadow what was to come? In a practical sense, perhaps these three gifts were sold and helped to finance the family’s escape to Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15).

This brief study into the Magi’s gifts is another great example of why we should not just read the Bible, but do our best to understand historical and cultural context from reliable resources. I hope you will make this practice a part of your study in the future.

Here is the best gift we can offer our King, High Priest, and Savior:Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God–

this is your true and proper worship.Romans 12:1

Day 13

31

Jesus’ Siblings

A closer look at the literal family of Christ

Someone told him (Jesus), “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”

Matthew 12:47

Let’s begin with an obvious statement: Joseph was not Jesus’ father. Matthew Chapter 1 tells us the genealogy of Jesus goes through Joseph’s bloodline, but we know that Mary conceived through the Holy Spirit. Females were also mentioned in this bloodline; Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba. Further, three of these four women were Gentiles. Jesus came to save all peoples! The genealogy in Luke differs some, but that reason will have to be discovered through your own study. These are just some interesting facts to lay some groundwork.

There is no mention of Joseph after the family visit to Jerusalem during Passover when Jesus was 12 (Luke 2:41-52). So sometime be-tween when Jesus was 12 and when He started His public ministry at age 30 (Luke 3:23), Joseph probably died. During that 18 year period, he most likely taught Jesus his occupation, carpentry.

In Matthew 13:53-58 (also Mark 6:1-6), the people who came to hear Jesus teach in the synagogue in His hometown of Nazareth were amazed. “‘Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?’ they asked. ‘Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?’”

So, during this 18-year period, we are left to assume that Joseph and Mary had four more sons and at least two daughters. Large families were common during this time. It is possible that Joseph was much older than Mary when they were married, and some of the children were from a previous marriage of his. I lean towards them being Joseph and Mary’s children.

We never hear any more about Jesus’ sisters or His brothers, Joseph and Simon. James, however, was a prominent leader in the early church,

32

and is mentioned several times (Acts 1:13-14, 12:17 and 15:13, I Corin-thians 15:7, and Galatians 1:1). He is also most likely the author of the book of James. Likewise, Jesus’ brother Jude was probably the author of the book of Jude. He identifies his brother, James, in the first verse of this short letter.

Here are some sobering hyperbolic words from Jesus as to the cost of being a disciple:

Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters–yes, even their own life–such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and

follow me cannot be my disciple.Luke 14:25-27

Day 14

33

Say What?

A statement by Jesus that seems a bit strange

Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Matthew 7:6

In the first part of Matthew Chapter 7, which is part of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus was dealing with the hypocrisy of believers. He shared that we, as His followers, had a propensity to judge others when we were guilty of the very same sin, and even more so. Before we lovingly confront our brother or sister in Christ, we need to first come clean with God about our own sin.

It is in this context that this somewhat bizarre verse is said by Jesus. Don’t give a dog sacred food? And why would we give jewelry to pigs? They might then turn on us and make us minced meat? Sounds a bit gruesome!

2 Peter 2:22 mentions both animals: “Of them (false prophets/teach-ers) the proverbs (Proverb 26:11) are true: ‘A dog returns to its vomit,’ and, ‘A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud’’’.

In most developed countries, you won’t see wild dogs and pigs roam-ing the streets. You might see an occasional escaped neighborhood dog though. In pretty much all of the Third World countries I have been to, there are plenty of animals roaming the streets. Their hunger and their palettes are non-discriminatory. They will eat whatever they can find.

As today’s verse says, the dogs and pigs – both unclean animals in Jesus’ day – do not appreciate what is being given to them. A dog would not appreciate the “sacred” meat that was sacrificed on God’s altar in the Temple. Nor would a pig appreciate any fine food (the allegorical “pearls”). These animals may even try to turn on you, despite your inten-tions to feed them.

There are some commentaries and sermons on this verse that believe the dogs and swine refer to those in the world who will reject the Gospel message that is offered to them. They will be unreceptive to any spiritual

34

advice and may even turn on us. Discernment is greatly needed to handle this delicate situation. We

need to be cautious, because the people being described here will not likely receive any kind of correction. On the contrary, they will be com-bative.

Proverbs 9:7-9 addresses this very issue:Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults; whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse. Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you; rebuke the

wise and they will love you. Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.

Day 15

35

Mustard and Mulberry

How further study deepens understanding

If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mul-berry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.

Luke 17:6

Today’s topic may be somewhat familiar to you, but I want to share it anyway as an example of why it’s important to know as much as possible about what you’re reading. When you read the verse above, do you al-ready know what a mustard seed looks like, how it’s used or what it turns into after growing? Similar questions could be posed about the mulberry. If you don’t know, then research it. Chances are, the internet contains the answer, but make sure the source(s) is trustworthy.

Let’s start with the mustard seed. There is a brief parable where Jesus mentioned it (Matthew 13:31-32, Mark 4:30-32, and Luke 13:19-21). That’s a good place to start – looking for other passages in the Bible that mention whatever the topic is that you are studying.

In these parable passages, Jesus compared His Kingdom as a mustard seed. He told the disciples: “Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches”. The Lord’s ministry start-ed out small, but became worldwide.

Further research from other sources helped me to learn more about mustard seeds and why Jesus spoke of them. While the mustard seed is not the smallest seed known to man, it apparently was at the time of Je-sus. It is only the size of the head of a pin. However, once it is planted, it can grow as much as ten feet tall. This is large enough for birds to come and perch. One more little tidbit: its leaves were also eaten like we eat greens today.

Now, consider the mulberry tree. It is actually called the black mulber-ry. Its root system is quite spread out, making it rather difficult to uproot. It is also a strong tree that grows slowly, but lives a long time. It can grow up to 35 feet tall. A similar version of this verse at the top can also be

found in Matthew 17:20 and Mark 11:23. But instead of a mulberry tree being moved, it is a full blown mountain.

Jesus is telling us that all it takes is a little faith in Him to do great things for His glory. For me, it helps to clearly visualize and understand these examples from God’s creation. It makes the verse so much more impactful. I hope it does for you as well.

May the disciples’ simple request in this passage be ours as well:The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”

Luke 17:5

36

Day 16

Sad, You See

Who were the Sadducees and Pharisees?

“Be careful,” Jesus said to them (the disciples). “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

Matthew 16:6

Jesus spoke against two groups of people primarily mentioned to-gether in Matthew 16. They were two religious parties that had great influence before and after the life of Christ. Both were members of the Sanhedrin, the ruling body of the Jewish people. However, there were distinguishable differences between the two groups though they were both against the salvation message of Jesus.

The Pharisees were a bit legalistic and claimed to strictly follow the Law of Moses and also Jewish tradition (Matthew 15:2). Their name in Hebrew means “separated ones”, and they lived that way too. They believed they were the only ones with the proper authority from God to interpret the law. In other words, they thought they were most favored and anointed by God to lead the masses.

The Sadducees were smaller in number than the Pharisees, but actu-ally had more members on the Sanhedrin than the Pharisees. They be-longed to the priestly line and were usually wealthy and politically mind-ed. They rejected anything past the first five books of today’s Bible (the Pentateuch) and the oral traditions too. They did not believe in resurrec-tion, angels or spirits. With no hope for an afterlife, this was what made them “sad, you see” (Get it? I heard my dad make this joke a few times).

Put both of these groups in the Sanhedrin and fireworks ensued. (See Acts 23 for an example of how it got so heated during a theological debate, they nearly killed each other and Paul.) Yet, both the Sadducees and Pharisees had a common enemy in Jesus and the early believers like Paul, Peter, and John. They refused to believe that Jesus was the Mes-siah, and that He came to fulfill the law, not abolish it (Matthew 5:17).

Today, the word, Pharisee, is often used in Christian circles to label someone as a hypocrite or self-righteous person. This is mainly because

37

Jesus blasted them and the teachers of law with seven different hypo-critical practices in Matthew 23. Perhaps because the Sadducees are not directly mentioned in this chapter is why their name is not mentioned as much today. Before we go judging these two groups, however, we need to realize our own hypocrisy in certain areas of our walk with the Lord.

Here is the verse that summarizes what most in these two groups never accepted:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9

38

Day 17

Sit Down, Moses

What was the purpose of the Seat of Moses?

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.”

Matthew 23:1-2

Jews gathered in the synagogue or house of assembly, where the peo-ple met for worship and instruction just like a church today. The syna-gogue leader or rabbi would sit in the Seat of Moses and read from the Torah, which is the law of God that was given to Moses. This can be found in the first five books of the Bible, or the Pentateuch as we’ve mentioned. Tradition holds that there are 613 commandments, or mitz-voth, contained in these five books.

As you can imagine, the Seat of Moses has its origin in the life of Moses. In Exodus 18:13-27, Moses sat down, much like a judge sits in a courtroom today, to make decisions “between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and instructions”. Over the centuries, the Israel-ites took this need to have a seat literally, and so it became an integral part of Jewish congregations.

On one of the Christian mission tours our ministry led to the Holy Land, one of the places we visited was the ancient town of Chorazin. This was in the northern region of Galilee just a couple of miles from Capernaum and Bethsaida, where Jesus spent much of His public minis-try. Chorazin is one of the three cities that Jesus cursed for their lack of faith in Him (Matthew 11:20-24).

Today, there are still remains of this village, including the synagogue that dates back to the 3rd or 4th century. Placed in the synagogue is a copy of the Seat of Moses made from one complete block of basalt (ig-neous rock). The original is in a museum in Jerusalem.

In this passage where Moses’ seat is mentioned in Matthew 23, Jesus is criticizing the Pharisees and teachers of the law for their hypocrisy. In essence, He was telling the crowd and His disciples to do as the teachers said, not as they did. This advice is certainly applicable to us. If Jesus

39

were to sit in the front of your church today, what would He say to you?

Heed these words from Jesus’ brother:Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone

who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it–not forgetting what they

have heard, but doing it–they will be blessed in what they do.James 1:22-25

40

Day 18

Phylacteries and Tassels

What Jewish men wore and why

Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long.

Matthew 23:5

Let’s stay in this same passage as yesterday where Jesus was scolding the Pharisees and teachers of the law. He complained that they made the law an impossible burden on the people. Further, they wore their Jewish clothing in such a way as to draw attention to themselves. They made sure they were treated with honor and ahead of others. This stood in exact contrast to Jesus’ servant leadership style (Matthew 20:25-28).

So what are the phylacteries and tassels that this verse mentions? Let’s start with the strange word. Jewish men wore phylacteries, or in Hebrew, tefillin, during morning and evening prayer. One was on their forehead and the other on their left arm. It consisted of a black box, which con-tained a parchment with four passages from the Old Testament: Exo-dus 13:1-10, Exodus 13:11-16, Deuteronomy 6:4-9, and Deuteronomy 11:13-21.

Within all four of these passages, God stated that these commands are like signs or symbols on their hands and foreheads. So the people took this literally and created the phylactery. They had leather straps attached to the black box for wrapping around their forehead, and also from their hand to the upper arm near the heart.

The Jewish men also wore and still wear an outer blue and white gar-ment that had tassels, or in Hebrew, tzitzit, on the four corners. This was a command by God through Moses in Numbers 15:37-41 and Deuteron-omy 22:12. This garment became a prayer shawl and covered the head during prayer.

So why should this brief study about phylacteries and tassels be im-portant to you? First, it is important to understand the Jewish culture that Jesus lived in. It makes Scripture come alive. And Jewish men still wear these items today. Secondly, Jesus would have worn both items. The

41

woman with the bleeding problem touched Jesus’ outer garment and was healed (Mark 5:21-34). Likewise, others who desired healing also want-ed to touch the edge of His garment, i.e. the tassels (Matthew 14:34-36). One could easily argue that during the many times Jesus went alone to pray, He was wearing both items (Matthew 14:23, Mark 1:35, Luke 5:16 and 6:12 to name several).

Our heart is most important to God, not just the appearance of our obedience:

My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you. Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.

Proverbs 7:1-3

42

Day 19

Mites, Minas, and Talents

Understanding some currency of Jesus’ day

“Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others.”Luke 21:3

The Bible talks a lot about money – hundreds and hundreds of verses in fact. One could easily conclude, then, that God wants us to have a proper perspective of it. Let’s look at two extreme examples of monetary units, and try to understand their value, so that we can have a deeper appreciation for the messages they convey.

The Widow’s Mite is a story found in Mark 12:41-44, and Luke 21:1-4, and is a popular story today. It encourages us to sacrificially give from the heart. This poor widow put in all that she had – two small copper coins. This was the equivalent of less than our penny, and therefore, not worth much.

The Parable of the Minas is in Luke 19:11-27. A mina equaled 100 drachmas. The drachma was a Greek coin and was basically equivalent to the denarius, a Roman coin. This one coin was worth a day’s wages (Matthew 20:2). So this means that the servants in the parable were giv-en the equivalent of 100 days’ wages to steward. Not a small amount!

The more often quoted Parable of the Talents can be found in Mat-thew 25:14-30. A talent was a unit of exchange valued at 60 minas and weighed around 75 pounds. So the servant given 10 talents was given 750 pounds to steward – and he wisely doubled it.

We use the word “talent” today because of this parable, and use it to describe whatever gift God has given us to steward. That’s a good lesson to remember. The Lord doesn’t care about the amount He’s given us – be it two small coins or a heavy boatload. He cares what we do with it. Let’s think about what God has given us to steward: money, abilities, relation-ships, leadership position, etc. Ask Him to show you how to best utilize your talents for His glory. They all belong to Him and are only given to you for a season, so make it count!

43

After a life of faithful stewardship, may we hear these words:“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!

You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’”

Matthew 25:21

44

Day 20

Snakes and Poison

Is Jesus condoning life-threatening activities?

They will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick

people, and they will get well.Mark 16:18

The last part of the book of Mark is a controversial section of Scripture that is absent from most early manuscripts. What our modern Bible has as the last 12 verses of Chapter 16 (vs. 9-20), do not mesh well with the rest of the book’s style, content, and Greek vocabulary. Included in this section is the verse where Jesus told His disciples that they could pick up snakes and drink poison, yet they wouldn’t be harmed.

This questionable practice can still be found in some Pentecostal Ho-liness churches, which emerged out of the Methodist denomination in the 1800s. They place great emphasis on these acts as a demonstration of their faith. Unfortunately, many have died over the years which, in my opinion, was completely unnecessarily.

First of all, does this sound like anything Jesus would encourage us to do? There are no examples of Jesus or God telling anyone to drink poison.

One of the verses used to defend snake handling is Luke 10:19: “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.” One could easily argue that this verse is instead talking about spiritual forces, since it is mentioned in the context of “the power of the enemy”. Further, in the previous verse the disciples are talking about demons submitting to them in Jesus’ name. While my wife might think the Devil uses literal snakes and scorpions along with demons to do his bidding, I don’t believe this is what Jesus is saying in this verse!

Another Scripture used as justification is the story of the snake biting Paul when he was stranded on the island of Malta (Acts 28:1-6). He shook the snake off in the fire and was unharmed. The problem is, the

45

viper “fastened itself on his hand”. Paul didn’t pick it up.So why is this passage still in our modern-day Bible? Apparently, it

appeared in enough old manuscripts to warrant its inclusion today. Per-haps because verse eight ended so abruptly, someone added the extra verses. Or maybe the original ending was lost. Regardless, your Bible should have a clear footnote about this questionable passage. My sugges-tion: don’t pick up deadly snakes and don’t drink poison.

Simple words to live by that stand in contrast to today’s verse:Do not put the Lord your God to the test.

Deuteronomy 6:16; Matthew 4:7

46

Day 21

The Holy Grail

Was there just one cup at the Last Supper?

Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant,

which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”Matthew 26:27-28

As Christians, we remember Jesus’ death on the cross with commu-nion: the cup representing His shed blood for our sins, and the bread symbolizing His body that was broken. Arthurian legend and Hollywood have made much of the supposed “Holy Grail” that was used at the Last Supper – the meal that Jesus had with His disciples on the night He was betrayed. Let’s take a deeper look at this meal.

The Last Supper took place at Passover, which precedes the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and was called the Seder. During this feast, God’s people ate bread without yeast for one week. Yeast symbolized sin, and they were recognizing the need to purge it from their homes and hearts. My family and I once had the Passover Seder at our church and it was truly a unique experience.

Passover memorializes the event when God brought judgment on Egypt. Only those homes that had the blood of a slaughtered lamb on its doorposts would have their firstborn sons spared from death (Exodus 12:1-30). Jesus took the place of the slaughtered lamb once and for all. We are delivered from sin by His death on the cross! This is why John the Baptist proclaimed when he first saw Jesus, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

Now back to this special meal to share a twist you probably weren’t expecting. There were actually four cups used at the Passover a.k.a. the Last Supper meal, not just one cup. The four cups represented the four “I will” promises of God in Exodus 6:6-7 to deliver His people out of Egypt: “I will bring you out”, “I will free you”, “I will redeem you”, and “I will take you”. These cups are still used at Passover today.

There is so much more to this special meal. It is fascinating, both in

47

regards to it being practiced for thousands of years, but also how Jesus fulfilled each cup. In addition, there are Biblical meanings for each part of the meal. This is definitely worth your further study. Only when you have a better understanding of this meal, can you read the Last Supper accounts in Matthew and Luke to discern which cups are being men-tioned at particular points during the evening. For example, the two vers-es quoted at the top just reference the fourth and final cup.

Jesus fulfilled all four cups, including the third cup:In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is

the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.Luke 22:20

48

Day 22

39 Lashes

The horrific practice of flogging

Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.2 Corinthians 11:24

In this passage in 2 Corinthians, Paul recounted a litany of the many ways he had suffered for the sake of the Gospel. Perhaps foremost on the list that caused the most pain was flogging. The Jews had a practice of giving 39 lashes (Deuteronomy 25:1-3). I guess someone along the way thought that 40 were enough to kill a man. Paul’s flogging likely came at the hands of Jews, who probably found great joy in doing this to a person they viewed as a traitor to his Jewish roots.

Jesus, on the other hand, was flogged by Romans. This took place after Pilate offered the people a choice of giving freedom to either Barabbas or Jesus (Matthew 27:15-26, Mark 15:6-15, and John 18:38-19:1). Their scourging weapon was designed to remove flesh from a criminal before execution. Made up of three or more strands of braided leather with bone or metal objects at the end, it did maximum damage quickly.

Some speculate that Jesus received 13 lashes (13 x 3 strands = 39), but history doesn’t record it, and this count was a Jewish practice. Romans were more ruthless. Needless to say, while Jesus was on his way to be crucified, He was probably bleeding profusely with shredded skin hang-ing loosely and bones showing through His back.

Perhaps most of you have seen the movie, The Passion of the Christ. If you did, you will no doubt remember one of the most gruesome mo-ments of the movie. One of the Roman soldiers whipped Jesus to the point where some of the sharp pieces at the end of the flogging strips caught on His skin. The soldier waited a moment, and then yanked it, ripping His skin to shreds. This is the hooked addition to the whip called the scorpion. I cringed when I saw this. After watching this accurate depiction of what flogging did to human flesh, the gruesome torture of Jesus suddenly became very real to me.

This is what Jesus endured because it was the Father’s will (Matthew

49

26:42). His flogging was followed by crucifixion, death, burial, resurrec-tion and ascension. Those who believe in this truth with their hearts and speak it with their mouths have a glorious eternity ahead (Romans 10:9). Make sure you and those around you believe.

His unbearable pain brought us eternal peace:But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our

iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.

Isaiah 53:5

50

Day 23

The Place of the Skull

The place where Jesus was crucified

They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”).

Mark 15:22

Jesus was crucified just outside the walls of Jerusalem at a place called Golgotha. This is an Aramaic word, which gruesomely means “the place of the skull” (also found in Matthew 27:33, Luke 23:33 and John 19:17). It seems that historians don’t know for sure why this place earned this nickname.

Jesus was crucified just outside the city gate (Hebrews 13:12), so it was on the edge of Jerusalem. Perhaps it was because this location was an old rock quarry or rocky hill that looked like a skull. Maybe it was because many were executed there.

I have been to the two possible sites of Golgotha, and there is an un-mistakable similarity to a skull in the side of the hill where a bus station now operates. It is very close to the site of a first century tomb where many Christian pilgrims visit. A British general named Charles Gordon found this location in 1884. However, this rock formation undoubtedly has eroded over time and didn’t look the same as it did two thousand years ago. Another possible location is the Church of the Holy Sepul-cher, which is built over a rocky hill.

You might be wondering why, in today’s Christian world, we refer to the place of Jesus’ crucifixion as Calvary instead of Golgotha. The ex-planation is simple. Calvary is derived from the Latin word, and was first used in the translation by Saint Jerome. He was a fourth century scholar who produced the Latin version of the Bible called the Vulgate. The King James Version also uses the word, Calvary, as do several hymns such as “At Calvary” and “On Calvary’s Brow My Savior Died”. Many churches have Calvary in their name. I guess it sounds better than The Place of the Skull Church or Golgotha Church (though some have used this too)!

51

As Christians, we tend to venerate what could be the actual places where Jesus walked and died. It’s hard not to do, but it can be a form of idolatry nonetheless. It’s most important to focus on Who we worship and what He did on that site forever for our sins.

Rejoice! The record of our sins has been wiped away:And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your

flesh, he has made alive together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was

against us, which was contrary to us. And he has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

Colossians 2:13-14

52

Day 24

Eli, Eli, Lama Sabachthani?

Jesus’ plea to God on the cross

About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God,

why have you forsaken me?”).Matthew 27:46; also Mark 15:34

It was 3 p.m. when Jesus cried out from the cross, and the verse above tells us what He said. How interesting it is to see this Aramaic/Hebrew sentence followed by its translation. This repetition drives home the des-perate condition of the Savior, waiting and hoping for God’s deliverance. He had been hanging, bleeding, dying on the cross for six hours, and would shortly die thereafter for the sins of the world.

Did you know that Jesus was actually quoting one of David’s Psalms? “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” is the very first verse of Psalm 22. This is a beautifully written Psalm that you should stop and read now or when you’re done with today’s devotional.

Notice the close parallels of what David said in Psalm 22 to what hap-pened to Jesus as recorded in the Gospels (not all references are listed):

• Vs. 16 and Matt. 27:35, Jn. 19:37 – piercing His body (crucifixion)• Vs. 18 and Matt. 27:35, Jn. 19:23-24 – dividing garments by casting lots• Vs. 7 and Matt. 27:39, Mk. 15:29 – hurling insults and shaking their heads• Vs. 8 and Matt. 27:43 – mocking that God would rescue Him• Vs. 15 and Jn. 19:28 – extreme thirstIsn’t this amazing?! Only a sovereign God that transcends time could

speak through David about what would also happen to Jesus around a thousand years later. This Psalm also encapsulates the thoughts and prayers of many other future believers like us, as we wait on the Lord’s deliverance from or through a particular situation.

What is true for Jesus on the cross is also true for us. God will bring deliverance to believers. No exceptions. The question is whether this de-liverance will come in this life or through death into eternity. So, as you cry out to God, “Why have You forsaken me?” “When will You rescue

53

me?” “Why are You taking so long?” – know that He has not forgotten you and His love never fails.

As David encouraged the Israelites, may he also encourage you:You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face

from him but has listened to his cry for help.Psalm 22:23-24

54

Day 25

Jesus is a Thief

Do we take this at face value or is it an idiom?

Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord

will come like a thief in the night.1 Thessalonians 5:1-2

I have to say that I had a difficult time finding the origin or meaning of this saying, the analogy that Jesus will return “like a thief in the night”. Most of my extra-biblical resources interpret this saying at face value. This verse as well as Matthew 24:42-44 (and other passages) are cited to defend the viewpoint that no one will know when He will return: “There-fore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him”.

For those of you who read my last devotional, The Search for Truth, you know that we studied Matthew 24:36, which stated that no one knows the day or hour of Christ’s return to earth. We learned that this is actually a Hebrew idiom, a figure of speech. In short, this saying means that Jesus will specifically return at a future Feast of Trumpets or on Rosh Hashanah.

The same is true for this phrase in today’s devotional. In Matthew 24 and I Thessalonians 5 (as well as others), a Hebrew idiom is being used. In the temple, the priest on duty was to make sure that the sacrifices were completely consumed at the end of the day, and ensure that the fire burned all night in order to be ready for the next day’s sacrifices.

It was a temptation for the priest to fall asleep during the night. So, the captain of the guard or the High Priest himself would sometimes come in quietly to check on things – like a thief in the night. He hoped to find the priest on duty, alert, aware, and carrying out his tasks. If not, the sleeping priest would wake up to his clothes on fire (see Revelation 16:15). So,

55

too, our High Priest is coming and expects to find His people working in faithful obedience. Will you be found ready?

Jesus’ Second Coming should not surprise the faithful believer:But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us

not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober.I Thessalonians 5:4-6

56

Day 26

Speaking in Tongues

What does this gift really mean?

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Acts 2:4

It seems that in American culture, speaking in tongues is primarily practiced in charismatic and Pentecostal churches. The more traditional and liturgical a church is, the less likely it is to hear of it being done. Some denominations also view it as a part of the past, not the present.

In Acts Chapter 2, we read how the Holy Spirit came upon the believ-ers, amazing those who heard the Galileans speaking in other languages. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if people gifted with speaking in tongues knew what language it was, and would then visit and testify to those who speak that language?!

This chapter clearly tells us that speaking in tongues is speaking an-other language and is made possible by the Holy Spirit (verses 6, 8, and 11). The Greek word used here for “tongues” means “languages”. Some also believe there is a heavenly language also spoken at times, but there is not room here to lay out the details.

Let me tell you a story to support my original explanation. Over the years, our ministry has brought our foreign partners to the U.S. to speak in various capacities. It is one of the best ways to inspire and encourage those who can’t travel to these countries and participate in ministry there first-hand. One year, we brought our partner from Nepal to the U.S. for a series of speaking engagements. One of the places he spoke was in a home gathering. Before he started to share, we showed a video that included praise and worship in Nepal. One of the women present in the home began to weep. She immediately recognized the Nepali language as the one she had been using while she was speaking in tongues.

In 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, we read that both speaking and interpreting tongues are listed as spiritual gifts bestowed on believers. It is worth noting what Paul clearly shared two chapters later in 1 Corinthians 14:1-

57

28: whatever is spoken in tongues through the Holy Spirit needs to be interpreted. Otherwise, it doesn’t edify those who are present. I have witnessed this in a church service in America. A woman fervently prayed loudly in tongues, and when she was done, an elder in the church stood up and offered the interpretation through the power of the Holy Spirit. It was a blessing to witness.

Here’s the best way Paul knew to ensure that all believers present were edified:

I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words

to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.I Corinthians 14:18-19

58

Day 27

Blind Man’s Bluff

Was the Apostle Paul nearly blind?

See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!Galatians 6:11

There is compelling scriptural evidence that Paul’s vision was sig-nificantly impaired for most, if not all of his years of ministry. In Acts Chapter 9 we read of Paul’s encounter with the Savior on the road to Damascus. “A light from heaven flashed around him”, and as a result, Paul was blind for three days. God soon thereafter used a man named Ananias to restore his sight. Was it this supernatural experience that left him nearly blind?

Perhaps it was a separate occasion that caused the vision problem. In Galatians 4:13, Paul credited an illness with allowing him to preach the Gospel to the people in Galatia. They cared for him so much that he mentioned, “I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me” (vs. 15). Maybe this episode was a flare-up of an ongoing malady with his vision.

In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul shared how the Lord can use us through our weaknesses and limitations, because when we are weak, He is strong. In this passage,

He mentioned pleading with the Lord three times to take away the “thorn in my flesh”. Whether or not this was a vision problem cannot be proven. It could be easily argued though that poor eyesight would have made most aspects of his ministry challenging, especially traveling and writing letters to various individuals and bodies of believers.

Whatever his thorn may have been, this passage in 2 Corinthians has been a comfort to many Christians because it has helped them get through their trials, knowing that God is their strength. He can use any weakness, such as blindness, to show His strength through us. But we must let go and stop fighting it, and let God take over. That’s when His power can flow through us.

59

Here’s is Paul’s reminder to us about Christ’s power:But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is

made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses,so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is

why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

60

Day 28

Areopagus

Paul’s ability to reach any audience

Then they took him (Paul) and brought him to a meeting of the Areopa-gus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching

is that you are presenting?”Acts 17:19

Paul traveled to Athens, Greece, while he waited on Silas and Timo-thy to join him. As he walked around, Paul was “greatly distressed” to see idols on every corner. He began to engage believer and non-believer alike in debate, including Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. Unlike the Greeks of the day, Epicureans believed that pleasure was the chief goal in life, and they didn’t believe in an afterlife. Stoics practiced self-suffi-ciency and living harmoniously with nature. They did believe in life after death, but not resurrection of the body.

These philosophers brought Paul before the Areopagus, or Council of Ares. They comprised a group of Athenian leaders who presided over educational, moral and religious matters. They acted as the gatekeepers and moral authority. Does this sound familiar to you? To my untrained ear, these groups sound a lot like another country’s version of the Phar-isees and Sadducees. Lest we look down on them in judgment, read on.

The verse I would like to focus on is 21: “All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas”. Does this not sound like America in general and the church in particular? We buy the latest Christian best seller and flock to see the most dynamic speaker. Instead of pursuing the Bible through personal time and reflection, we chase the next person or theology like a dog running after a car.

Sadly, it is my opinion that we are merely fulfilling 2 Timothy 4:3: “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” And just like Greece in Paul’s day, America has idols in every house and on every

61

corner. They go by the names of materialism, laziness, gluttony, selfish-ness, and so on. Pick your poison.

Paul went on to give an impassioned speech to the Areopagus and other philosophers present about the God who made the heavens and the earth, and raised His Son from the dead. Read the rest of the chapter. We, too, should be ready to engage our non-believing friends in a discussion about their faith or lack thereof.

Just as Paul adapted his argument to fit his audience, so should we:Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible...I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this

for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.I Corinthians 9:19, 22-23

62

Day 29

Hey. You, There. Christian.

The Biblical origin of the word: Christian

Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?”

Acts 26:28

The translation in Greek for Christ is “anointed one” and the ending means “follower of”. Put them together and the word meant “follower of the anointed one”. Jews would not have labeled those that followed Je-sus with this word, Christian. They did not believe He was the promised Messiah. Instead, it seems that the early believers were referred to by the Jews as the “Nazarene sect” (Acts 24:5). This was probably a negative label since Nazareth was such a small, inconsequential place.

We know from the New Testament that the followers of Jesus often went by the following names (followed by some of the many references):

• Disciples – Acts 6:1-2, 18:23, 21:16• Saints/Holy People – Acts 9:13, 2 Corinthians 1:1, Colossians 1:12• Brothers/Sisters – Acts 6:3, Ephesians 6:23, James 1:2Acts 11:26 clearly states that the people of Antioch first called the

disciples of Jesus, “Christians”. Antioch was the capital of Syria, and was a large cosmopolitan city where the people were known to dole out nicknames. Some 15 or so years later, we read this verse in Acts 26:28 where the name is once again used. In both cases, “Christian” was prob-ably used as a negative label.

In 1 Peter 4:12-16, Peter admonished his readers to be ready for per-secution for the reason of being a Christian. “If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you...if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name” (vs. 14, 16). This insinuated that it was a negative label at the time, but one they were encouraged to embrace. And so we now embrace it to this day.

Mark my words: a day is coming when we, Americans, will be per-secuted for our faith. Being called a believer, a Christian, a follower of

63

Christ, will once again be a negative label as it is in other parts of the world. That day is fast approaching for us. There are already signs that this is happening now. Without repentance and revival, judgment is sure-ly coming to America.

Jesus told us to rejoice in our persecution. Be ready:Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say

all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way

they persecuted the prophets who were before you.Matthew 5:11

64

Day 30

Two Deaths

You die twice if you aren’t a believer

The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake

of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

Revelation 20:13-15

It was necessary to quote more than a verse above to give the complete and clear picture of the two phases of death as described in the Bible. My goal here is to briefly explain these two dreadful places and points in time. Please give me a little grace due to the limited space. Study more on your own.

In the Old Testament, Sheol was the word used to describe the place where the unbelieving go upon physical death, to await their final judg-ment before God. For example, Psalm 16:9-10: “Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead (Sheol), nor will you let your faithful one see decay.” And Amos 9:2: “Though they dig down to the depths of the grave (Sheol), from there my hand will take them.”

Hades was the New Testament word used for this transitory place, much like a waiting room – but not in a good way. Here are a couple of examples. In Matthew 11:23, Jesus declared that unbelievers in Caper-naum would “go down to Hades”. Luke 16:19-31 is a troubling parable of a rich man in Hades. Since he did not take care of the poor man at his doorstep, i.e. live like Jesus (see Matthew 25:31-46), he was sent to Hades. His torment was so bad that the rich man begged to have the poor man “dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire” (vs. 24).

Imagine an unquenchable thirst. Think of never again being at peace. Dwell on the fact that a permanent chasm will keep those in this place from warning their unbelieving loved ones who are still alive. If this

65

does not motivate us into boldness in the here and now, then we need to examine our hearts. The thief on the cross gives us hope that salvation even on the day of death is not too late (Luke 23:39-43).

Now back to the primary passage at hand in Revelation. In the two previous verses (11-12), we read of what is referred to as the Great White Throne Judgment. This is when God opens the book of life and every person has to account for what they have done. Glorious eternity awaits for those saved by grace, and the second death in the horrific lake of fire awaits the rest. What is your destination?

Here is the verse of hope for the world that says it all:For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,

that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.John 3:16

66

Conclusion

Conclusion

My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding–

indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.

Proverbs 2:1-5

Our second month-long devotional journey has come to an end. I hope it has inspired you to take Bible study more seriously, and make it a part of your daily life. Never take my word for anything shared in these pages. I am a flawed human, and on the same journey to dig deeper in God’s Word as you are. And you don’t have to agree with everything I’ve written either!

Use this devotional as a catalyst to study for yourself and come to your own Holy Spirit-led convictions. If you would like a free hard copy booklet of this study, just email us: info@feedthehunger.org or call 1-888-772-9634.

Please watch the video link shown at the top of this conclusion. In it, I invite you to join our prayer email list. This is a weekly “no frills” email that shares the praises and prayer requests from our ministry and our partners. If you would like to sign up, please email: prayer@feedthe-hunger.org.

Let me conclude by sharing the names of the resources I often consult-ed for this study. The main online resource I used was www.biblegate-way.com, both for viewing various Bible translations and some commen-taries as well. Another one that was helpful was www.biblestudytools.com. Here are most of the hard copy resources I’ve used with the two devotionals written so far, and that I also use for my own personal study:

• Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary• Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary: Old Testament• Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary: New Testament• The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament• The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament• Zondervan NIV Exhaustive Concordance

67

• Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testa-ment Words • Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testa-ment Words • The Oxford Companion to the Bible • The NIV Study Bible • Life Application Study Bible (NASB)

May God bless you as you seek Him,

Joseph Williams, CEO

68

69

Please Recycle

P.O. Box 2347Burlington, NC 27216-2347feedthehunger.org1.888.772.9634