I just finished reading a small phamplet study book by Radio Bible Class called "The Genesis Account Of Creation: Defusing The Controversy" (http://www.rbc.org/bible-study/discovery-series/bookletDetail.aspx?id=55904). For the most part the book was an excellent read, but unfortunately it also had a bit that I disagreed with. As I read the phamplet it discussed different controversy's that stand out in our world today on the issue of Creation. One of the biggest "pushes" that was included in the phamplet though was the difference that many Christians have today about the age of the earth. Granted in the area of "theology" to some this really doesn't play an important role, but in all actuality the way that we read Genesis chapter 1 is one of the firm bases of our theology!
In keeping in touch with our short study on Anthropromorphisms I wanted to go back and retouch on the Hands of God. Again remember God really doesn't have hands, but the Bible ascribes Him as having hands to help those of us with finite minds to be able to better comprehend Him in our human minds. In Psalm 19:1 we find the psalmist writing, "The heaven's declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork." Handiwork meaning work done by hands. If I were a carpenter (which I'm not) and I made a beautiful shelf, that would be an example of my handiwork. The ability that I had to make something. The earth upon which we stand daily, and upon which our eyes settle was created by a Holy Awesome Creator, which is our God.
In the phamplet spoken of above, the topic focuses as I mentioned upon the age of the earth. Some Christians today subscribe to the idea that the world is millions/billions years old. Others believe in what is called a "young earth". Personally I believe the world to be somewhere in the range of 10,000-6,000 years old. Ken Ham a Christian who has studied the book of Genesis (www.answersingenesis.com) has helped "nail" down an approx. time line of the creation of the world. One reason that 6,000 years old is chosen, is simply because the oldest trees alive on earth today are 6,000 years old. Something before that date apparently destroyed the trees that were alive before that time. Something such as a massive global flood would fit that scenario perfectly. :)
Some have sat down with the genealogies of the Bible and done an approx. timeline of the age of the earth up until the time of Christ which we already know thanks to our Gregorian calendars was approx. 2,000 years ago. ANYWAYS...
Back the phamplet again, the topic towards the end of the book, seemed to focus on the need that we have not to argue about the age of the earth, but to focus on the just agreeing with what we know to be true. Now, I'm all for agreeing on what we know to be true, but the actual attention was placed more on not bickering about what we don't know.
Below is an excerpt from the phamplet, so you understand what I mean. Page 26.
"Shouldn't the Genesis account of creation be read literally? A significant feature of the controversy over the age of the earth as it is understood from the first chapter of Genesis is the principle of historical grammatical interpretation that is so foundational to historical orthodoxy. The aim of the historical-grammatical method is to discover the meaning of the passage as the original author would have intended, and what the original hearers would have understood. (AMEN! - emphasis added) Those who hold to a young-earth view say they are reading the account "literally" and are therefore more in line with belief in biblical reliability, a cardinal conviction of evangelical Christianity. Because they read the Genesis 1 creation account as describing events that took place over a period of 6 successive 24-hour days, they see any attempt to read more time into the process as opposing the Word of God."
Forgive me for being a "Literal Interpreter", but when I read a book, or a document, etc...I don't try to "read into it" more than what the original author intended. That is one reason our government is so messed up today! Its because they tried to take the Constitution of this great nation and they tried to "read into" the author's meanings. I had a professor in Bible College who used to say something to the effect, "When the text makes sense, leave it alone!" Okay, so I really slaughtered his saying, but the idea was, if what you are reading makes complete sense don't read anymore into it! For example, if I said, "The Banana is yellow." Nobody questions what color the Banana is! Why? Because its yellow! But if I wrote, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." for some reason that gives everyone the right to begin to try and decide what heavens, and what earth were created, how they were created, when they were created, etc...but what is ironic is that in the following verses after Genesis 1:1 we have recorded for us exactly what happened! Nobody questions whether or not Jesus hung on a cross, why? Because it says he did, but for some reason they question whether or not he was really dead when he was put in the tomb! Why? Again for the same reason, they feel that they have the ability to decide what really happened versus what God's Word actually says.
I enjoyed the last highlighted quote that can be found on page 32 of the booklet. "What we know and agree on is far more important than what we don't know or fully understand." Had Martin Luther just "agreed" with what the Catholic church was doing there would have never been a Reformation. Had Paul, Peter and the other disciples never taught the gospel of Jesus Christ, but rather kept to the "Law" of the Old Testament for the sake of agreement we wouldn't have the New Testament. Agreeing to agree is the new push among "evangelical christians" today. Why are there so many "non-denomination" churches today? Its because people can't decide what they truly believe so its better to "get along" rather than hurt people's feelings.
I know I need to close this blog page, but as I write other ideas come to mind. For example, I think of the time that Paul apologized in one of his letters. He upset the people he had written to previously as he pointed out there sins, and when he writes back he basically says, "I'm sorry that I upset you, but I'm not sorry that I pointed out your problems." If we are just apathetic to sit back and agree with others just for the sake of agreement, I find it hard to say that we would be following through with the cause of Christ.
If we can't stand up and say that God's Word tells us that the World was created in six 24 hour days, how then can we believe the other truths of the Bible? How can we believe that He will always be with us, how can we believe that he will always meet our needs? How can we believe that Jesus Christ is truly the Savior of the world. Was he really born of a virgin? Is he really coming back? If we can't LITERALLY interpret God's Word, please then do tell me, what exactly can we do?
The Eyes Of God
As we continue our short study of the anthropromorphisms of God we come across the fact that the Bible describes God with a pair of eyes. As we have already seen, God does not have physical characteristics such as hands, legs, feet and arms, but rather as we have seen God is a "Spirit". A spirit has no limitations such as space or reaches of ability. A "spirit" cannot be contained in a certain space or confined to a certain limitation. Therefore God is said to have eyes, such as in the verse from 2 Chronicles 16:9.
2Chronicles 16:9 "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars."
In this verse we see that God's "eyes" go "to and fro". An easier way to say this is that they go "back and forth". Just as if you were preparing to cross a street one would look first one direction then the other to make sure that no traffic was coming, and that it would be safe to cross. In this passage, "God's eyes are looking back and forth across the expanse of the surface of the earth looking at nations and people groups to look for those that are following him." When he finds them, he shows himself strong to them by blessing them, watching over them, and caring for them. Those that have refused God then are found to be engulfed in wars. Not nescessarily nation against nation, but also against personal wars of pride and greed, or just general success.
Notice first of all, God does not have to "find" us. Yes, he is "watching" us, but we have not become lost so that he has to come looking for us. We are always under his watch. Yet, not only does God see those that are faithful to him, but he also sees those that reject and refuse him. Ultimately they will meet their doom because of their decision to reject God. Meanwhile those that are faithful and have accepted God's free gift of Salvation through his Son Jesus Christ's work upon the cross of Calvary we are constantly being watched and protected.
"Be not dismayed whate'er betide,
God will take care of you;
beneath his wings of love abide,
God will take care of you."
-Hymn "God Will Take Care Of You" (Civilla Martin 1904)
2Chronicles 16:9 "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars."
In this verse we see that God's "eyes" go "to and fro". An easier way to say this is that they go "back and forth". Just as if you were preparing to cross a street one would look first one direction then the other to make sure that no traffic was coming, and that it would be safe to cross. In this passage, "God's eyes are looking back and forth across the expanse of the surface of the earth looking at nations and people groups to look for those that are following him." When he finds them, he shows himself strong to them by blessing them, watching over them, and caring for them. Those that have refused God then are found to be engulfed in wars. Not nescessarily nation against nation, but also against personal wars of pride and greed, or just general success.
Notice first of all, God does not have to "find" us. Yes, he is "watching" us, but we have not become lost so that he has to come looking for us. We are always under his watch. Yet, not only does God see those that are faithful to him, but he also sees those that reject and refuse him. Ultimately they will meet their doom because of their decision to reject God. Meanwhile those that are faithful and have accepted God's free gift of Salvation through his Son Jesus Christ's work upon the cross of Calvary we are constantly being watched and protected.
"Be not dismayed whate'er betide,
God will take care of you;
beneath his wings of love abide,
God will take care of you."
-Hymn "God Will Take Care Of You" (Civilla Martin 1904)
The Finger of God
Last week as we discussed the Hand of God, I wanted to stay a bit with the same theme and discuss the fingers of God. There are only four times in God's Word where we read about the finger of God. Now remember, God is a spirit and really does not possess hands, but the term is used to help us comprehend God. The first time we read about the finger of God is during the plagues God is sending upon Egypt during the plagues of Moses. After God sends lice upon the land of Egypt the magicians of Egypt who have been able up until this time to also summon the plagues exclaim that the plague of lice was the workings of the "Finger of God".
Exodus 8:19 "Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said." Imagine the power of the finger of God. It was just with his voice that he created the heavens and the earth, imagine the power of his fingers!
Another time that we read about the finger of God is while Moses is standing on Mount Sinai and he is receiving the Ten Commandments from God. The stone tablets are written upon by the finger of God. God is writing the commandments out on the stone so that Moses and the Children of Israel might have a permenant copy of the covenant made between them and God. The reason that God wrote the commandments was so that the Israelites might understand and realize that the covenant was a sacred thing and was meant to be kept.
Exodus 31:18 "And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God." Again its recorded for us in Deuteronomy as Moses writes a personal diary record of the things that had happened.
Deuteronomy 9:10 "And the LORD delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of God; and on them was written according to all the words, which the LORD spoke with you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly."
Recorded of us then in Luke is the last mention of the Finger of God. Here Jesus is speaking about the Finger of God casting out demons. Not only does the "Finger of God" have the ability to write sacred commandments, and send plagues upon the land of Egypt, it also has the power to cast out demons.
Luke 11:20 "But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you." Speaking to his disciples he is explaining the with God we can do all things.
If God is for us, who can be against us? What a privelage it is to have a God that has a "finger". Remember theoretically he doesn't really have a physical finger, but he does have the power to watch over us and protect us. What a mighty God we serve!
Exodus 8:19 "Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said." Imagine the power of the finger of God. It was just with his voice that he created the heavens and the earth, imagine the power of his fingers!
Another time that we read about the finger of God is while Moses is standing on Mount Sinai and he is receiving the Ten Commandments from God. The stone tablets are written upon by the finger of God. God is writing the commandments out on the stone so that Moses and the Children of Israel might have a permenant copy of the covenant made between them and God. The reason that God wrote the commandments was so that the Israelites might understand and realize that the covenant was a sacred thing and was meant to be kept.
Exodus 31:18 "And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God." Again its recorded for us in Deuteronomy as Moses writes a personal diary record of the things that had happened.
Deuteronomy 9:10 "And the LORD delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of God; and on them was written according to all the words, which the LORD spoke with you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly."
Recorded of us then in Luke is the last mention of the Finger of God. Here Jesus is speaking about the Finger of God casting out demons. Not only does the "Finger of God" have the ability to write sacred commandments, and send plagues upon the land of Egypt, it also has the power to cast out demons.
Luke 11:20 "But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you." Speaking to his disciples he is explaining the with God we can do all things.
If God is for us, who can be against us? What a privelage it is to have a God that has a "finger". Remember theoretically he doesn't really have a physical finger, but he does have the power to watch over us and protect us. What a mighty God we serve!
In His Grip
As you think about God's hands, we would imagine them to be very large. Yet, God's Word tells us that God's hands are not really real. God is a spirit the Bible tells us, and because He is a spirit, He does not actually have hands, nor eyes, nor a mouth, etc... We call this description of God an anthropomorphism. Anthropomorphism is the assigning of human body parts to a non-human being or object. Since God is a spirit He is all places at all times, so physically he does not actually have a body. Yet, the Bible continues to tell us, that although He doesn't have hands, we are still in his grip.
"And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hands." John 10:28-29
What a blessing it is to know that not only are we in Christ's nail scarred hands, being held, but Christ's hand is then surrounded by the Father's hand, and nobody can take us out of either hand! We are secure in the hand of God, and we can never lose our salvation!
"He has heard my heart's request, In His grip of grace I rest." - Legacy Five, Roger Bennett
"And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hands." John 10:28-29
What a blessing it is to know that not only are we in Christ's nail scarred hands, being held, but Christ's hand is then surrounded by the Father's hand, and nobody can take us out of either hand! We are secure in the hand of God, and we can never lose our salvation!
"He has heard my heart's request, In His grip of grace I rest." - Legacy Five, Roger Bennett